Revisiting the Principle of Education as a Public Good

Abstract

Education has been considered a human right and a public good in global public policy at least since 1945. This conceptualization has been produced and advanced by international organizations ever since, particularly by UN agencies and, among these, UNESCO. However, the educational landscape has changed considerably since then and it is now characterized by an increasing involvement of non-state actors, including for-profit organizations. Against this background, this paper analyzes the currency of the concept of public good, grounded in economic theory, and questions its potential to counter the effects of the privatization and commodification of education. After a thorough review of the theoretical foundations of the concept of public good and its limitations, the paper goes on to argue that a philosophical reading of the principles underlying the concept seems appropriate for this day and age. The author thus suggests the notion of education as a common good to transcend utilitarian views and as a vehicle to conceive of education as a collective endeavour from a humanistic perspective.