Shadow education: a double-edged sword for Czech mainstream schools in the competitive educational market

Post-transformational neoliberal reforms in the Czech Republic have established a competitive quasi-market, which – at lower-secondary level academic-track schools (grammar or gymnasia) compete for students regular-track schools. These also brought rise of shadow education (private supplementary tutoring) provided by individuals and private companies. Even public are sometimes providers education. The study explores gymnasia principals’ motivations to provide paid courses prepare entrance examinations their programmes challenges they experience doing so. findings drawn mainly from semi-structured interviews with principals other school management members eleven gymnasia. conceptualises such as ‘double-edged sword’. First, because it serves ‘weapon’ that academic use quasi-market competition attract more (high-achieving) regular track schools, second, may both positive negative consequences (e.g., equity education), depending on conditions its provision. paper contributes wider scholarly literature expanding understanding ways behave educational quasi-markets opening new branch research.