Part II: Governing Children’s Learning Processes in a Semiprivatized Sector

Countries across the Western world differ as to what role private agents have in early childhood education and care (ECEC) (Meyers & Gornick, 2003; Penn, 2014). Comparative researchers argue that pedagogical standards and the welfare of the employees are sacrificed for the benefit of owner profit in privatized systems, and that only better-off parents can afford private ECEC for their children. On the other hand, it has been argued that in state dominated systems, private initiative and innovation are missed. The private sector comprises competence and experience, and can relieve strained public budgets for heavy investments in Early Childhood Centers (ECCs).