The Use of Vouchers in Education

Maja Bosanac and Radovan Grandić

Summary:  Modern education is experiencing undergoing numerous changes within the knowledge-based economy. It is in the phase of transformation, particularly towards the deconstruction of pedagogy as a science. One of the important factors contributing to the deconstruction and redefinition of education is the increasing privatisation of education at its different levels, which is offered as one of the approaches within the global education policies. The aim of this paper is to present the application of vouchers in education as one of the ways of realising public–private partnerships. To have a comprehensive approach, the paper emphasises both the advantages and challenges of voucher application in education. The contribution of the paper is the actualisation of a literature about public–private partnerships in education, presenting vouchers from a pedagogical rather than a dominantly economic point of view. In addition, the paper presents the educational policies aimed at expanding the choice of schools proposed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which are related to the application of vouchers at the compulsory level of education. The initiatives of applying vouchers in higher education, although less researched, are also presented. This paper has sought to shed light on the importance of knowledge about the broader socioeconomic aspect of vouchers and the specifics of voucher application at different education levels. No matter our personal attitude towards such approach, whether we advocate or oppose market principles in education, knowledge about what vouchers represent is gaining importance for everyone who is directly or indirectly involved in education.