OECD Economics Department Working Papers

ISSN :
1815-1973 (online)
DOI :
10.1787/18151973
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Working papers from the Economics Department of the OECD that cover the full range of the Department’s work including the economic situation, policy analysis and projections; fiscal policy, public expenditure and taxation; and structural issues including ageing, growth and productivity, migration, environment, human capital, housing, trade and investment, labour markets, regulatory reform, competition, health, and other issues.
 

Raising Education Outcomes in Switzerland You or your institution have access to this content

Authors:
Andrés Fuentes1
Author Affiliations
  • 1: OECD, France

Publication Date
02 Feb 2011
Bibliographic information
No.:
838
Pages
38
DOI
10.1787/5kgj3l0wr4q6-en

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Almost all workers are educated at least to the upper secondary level and vocational education contributes to one of the most successful transition performances of youth to employment in the OECD. Higher education enjoys an excellent reputation, as reflected in one of the highest scientific publication rates relative to population in the OECD and high placements of Swiss universities in international rankings. Participation in continuous education is among the largest in the OECD. Results for children with low socio-economic background or immigration background do not fully measure up to the high standards of the education system. Improving early childhood education and availability of childcare facilities for very young children would raise subsequent educational attainment, especially for these groups of children. Accountability of schools for their education outcomes should be raised. In tertiary education, attainment rates among the young are modest for a high-income OECD country, reflecting the importance of the upper secondary vocational system. A larger supply of tertiary graduates could have benefits for productivity performance especially in the context of demographic ageing. Public spending per pupil on pre-primary education is low in international comparison whereas spending on tertiary academic education per graduate is among the highest in the OECD.
Also available in: French
Keywords:
education, compulsory education, pre-school education, education funding, tertiary education, university education, Switzerland
JEL Classification:
  • I21: Health, Education, and Welfare / Education and Research Institutions / Analysis of Education
  • I22: Health, Education, and Welfare / Education and Research Institutions / Educational Finance
  • I23: Health, Education, and Welfare / Education and Research Institutions / Higher Education and Research Institutions
  • I28: Health, Education, and Welfare / Education and Research Institutions / Government Policy