Recorded at TEDxNewCastle. July 22, 2015.

Without numbers, a great many myths about education and educational provision would go unchallenged. Before Independent Institute Senior Fellow James N. Tooley started his work (with colleagues) on low-cost private schools, the accepted wisdom was that only government education could provide for the poor in developing countries. In this TEDx talk Professor Tooley explores these myths and shares his findings. Professor Tooley has published widely on the role of government in education. His particular focus is on the phenomenon of low-cost private schools in developing countries. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at TED.