The recent gesture by the private education institution the School of Nations to provide free after school classes for youths in the Tiger Bay community is indeed an excellent initiative and gesture. This is another demonstration of how the private sector could contribute to the social development of communities and dispel the perception that private enterprise is all about making profits.

Such a fine gesture should be emulated by other similar institutions to further enhance and boost educational development in communities across the country.

Of course we are all aware of the history of Tiger Bay which once was a feared community because it was a nest for criminal activity which has left an unfortunate stigma attached to it. But too often we make the mistake of attaching stigmas but do nothing or very little to correct the situation and just continue to label such communities as “bad communities” and ignore them.

However, communities do not just become “bad” but rather they result from socio-economic conditions such as poverty, lack of education opportunities and local leadership etc.

So while this gesture by the School of Nations may seem to be a small one, in reality it will make a significant impact in the long term by helping to educate youths of that community thereby preparing them to enter into the wider world of higher education and employment.

Dr Brian O’Toole, the Director of the school made some pointed and pertinent observations during the registration of the first batch of youths: “We feel that the period between 11-14 years, which we call junior youth, is a very special time. During these years he or she leaves childhood behind and undergoes profound transformation.”

He added that School of Nations, therefore wishes to offer an after school programme that will enhance the spiritual and intellectual capacities of junior youth.

“We believe that this programme will contribute to junior youth developing the gem-like qualities that they possess and will help along the path of creating a better society. A key part of this programme will be the development of moral excellence,” O’Toole said.

Of special note and interest here is the fact that a key component of the programme will be the development of moral excellence. This is most welcomed because there is growing concern about the deterioration of moral standards in our society, particularly among the younger sections of the population.

It is clear that in today’s world the private sector is playing an increasing role in the education sector complementing the public education system which to a great extent relieves some of the pressure from the latter, particularly with respect to higher education in both developing and developed countries.

The Bologna Process is by far the most important development of higher education in today’s Europe. While bringing about those structural changes a wider range of opportunities for the further improvement of quality in all higher education across institutions and systems of higher education which should lead by 2010 to the creation of the European Higher Education Area, the Bologna Process is also expected to generate institutions and for a closer co-operation between various kinds of higher education institutions, including the private ones.

Since 1990, the number of private higher education institutions has substantially increased in Europe, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. In the case of this region, one may even argue that such a development has led to the emergence of a new systemic paradigm of higher education. According to currently available information, enrolments in the private sector of higher education reached about 25 percent of the total number of students in countries such as Poland, Romania and Estonia, while the share of private institutions in the Central and Eastern European systems of higher education in general is quite substantial.

Due to historical and other reasons, the institutional and student shares of the private sector in the Western European systems of higher education are much smaller. However, more recently private higher education institutions have been established in countries like Spain, Italy, Portugal, Austria and Germany. (Source: Project designed and implemented by UNESCO-CEPESin collaboration with“Leon Ko?mi?ski” Academy of Entrepreneurship and Management (LKAEM) and the World Bank)

Of course there was a period when private educational institutions were non-existent because of the policy of the government at the time.

However, all that changed with the change of government in 1992 and today private educational institutions are springing up through out the country, as indeed they have an important role as a partner in as we seek to foster, expand and advance education development in this country