PARENT’S CHOICES IN THE EDUCATIONAL

MARKET IN DUSHANBE, TAJIKISTAN

Christopher M. WhitselNazarbayev University

This research was supported by funds from the Research Scholar Program supported by the United States Department of State, Program for Research and Training for Eastern Europe and the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (Title VIII), administered by American Councils for International Education. I also want to thank Tuychi Rashidov for his research assistance while in Tajikistan.

Development of the Market

Economic Crisis State Failure Educational

Contraction

Establish private schools

Decentralization Approved fees for

extracurricular courses and educational services

Economic and Political Decline Pro-Market Reforms

Foundation of differences in Soviet Period

Creation of Markets

Source: Ministry of Education 2010: Мачуmи Омории Сохаи Маорифи Чумчурии Точикистон, 2010-2011 (Educational Statistics of the Republic of Tajikistan, 2010-2011)

Data and Respondents

Fieldwork in 2013 Snowball sample (N~25) with establish

contacts as the core Neighborhood Schools Choice Schools

4 types of Schools

Elite Private Schools

Low-Cost Private Schools

High-Quality Public

Schools

Neighborhood

Schools

Costs, School Quality & Informal Payments,

Curriculum

TeachersLocation

Curriculum

TeachersLocation

COSTS

Individual Variation

Sibling differentiation Gender differentiation