ABSTRACT
Although privatization has become a major aspect of change in the educational systems of many industrialized countries, the concept of privatization in education is far from easy to define. The concept covers a range of activities and goes beyond the simple ownership of schools by for-profit companies. This chapter gives examples of privatization in just two countries of Western Europe. As in several other European countries, privatization in education in England and Wales must be understood alongside other privatization policies. Privatization was one of the major policy priorities of successive British Conservative governments between 1979 and 1997. In terms of privatization, the Netherlands provides a direct contrast to England. For supporters of a greater diversity of state-funded schools, the Dutch system presents several features that appear to be highly desirable. The chapter also attempts to illustrate the diversity of policy changes that might be seen as being linked to privatization.
