This article explores differences in achievement between private and conventional public schools with reference to gender in the face of Education for All targets and Millennium Development Goals. It shows that on average the gender gap is narrower in public schools than in private schools and that the pass rate for public school girls is higher than that for girls in private schools. This findings differs from what one might expect in Western countries and is particularly influenced by the context of Malawi, where private schools are not necessarily elite schools, or for the elite. The author argues for a need to re-examine education policy to promote schools with the best achievement gains so that general under-achievement may be redressed, especially for girls. At issue in all this is good-quality schooling for girls as a matter of gender equality. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)