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Policymaking has always been a matter of making choices, managing trade-offs and balancing multiple goals and priorities to make complex budgetary decisions. Yet, the past few years have seen a rising number of priorities facing policymakers, hence mounting pressure to enhance the efficiency of public spending. There is a strong case for public investment in high-quality education as it leads to a range of economic outcomes as well as broader social outcomes for both individuals and society. But while high-quality education will continue to enable individuals and societies to thrive and recover from disruptions, education ministries will need to rethink the way they invest in education to ensure that education systems deliver greater value for money. Following an introduction laying out the context, this publication first takes stock of the wealth of economic returns and broader social outcomes derived from high-quality education, making the case for continued public investment. It then turns to the examination of smart ways of investing in education and examines key policy levers that can help enhance value for money: governing and distributing school funding to make the most of education investments; achieving educational equity alongside greater efficiency; and planning, monitoring and evaluating the efficient use of school funding.
There is increasing recognition that teachers will play a key role in preparing students for the challenges of the future. We expect teachers to equip students with the skill set and knowledge required for success in an increasingly global, digital, complex, uncertain and volatile world. This will involve teachers and schools forging stronger links with parents and local communities, building a sense of social responsibility and problem solving skills among their students. It also means that teachers need to adopt effective and individualised pedagogies that foster student learning and nurture their social and emotional skills. How can education systems help them engage in continuous innovation and professional development to enhance their own practice?
This report shows how education systems can support teachers to meet these new demands and encourage a paradigm shift on what teaching and learning are about and how they should happen. Education systems need to create the conditions that encourage and enable innovation. They need to promote best practice through policies focused on professionalism, efficacy and effectiveness in order to help build teachers’ capacity for adopting new pedagogies. Due attention should also be paid to teachers’ sense of well-being so that classroom learning environments remain conducive to students’ own well-being and development.
Over recent years, Bulgaria has shown great willingness to reform its vocational education and training (VET). Significant challenges remain, however, relating notably to the system’s responsiveness to labour market needs and its capacity to ensure equitable outcomes for learners. This report is a focused review of two predefined issues, the governance and funding of VET. These are two fundamental elements within the delivery of skilled VET graduates. The report assesses the strengths of the Bulgarian VET system and the challenges it faces when it comes to governance and funding and suggests policy responses for how these challenges can be addressed. Four specific challenges are identified linked to the governance of the VET system: decision-making powers and capacity; the use of data and evidence to inform policy decisions; social partner engagement; and, oversight of adult VET learning provision. With regard to VET funding, both school level financial autonomy, and the capacity to act upon increased flexibilities, are currently modest. The report argues that potential exists to strengthen collaboration between schools and employers to achieve increased cost-sharing between government and private firms. Finally, more can be done to improve equity in VET delivery through Bulgaria’s funding formula.
One of a series of studies on vocational education and training, this review assesses the vocational education and training (VET) in Estonia and provides policy recommendations.
Estonia does very well in terms of student achievement on PISA, and the results from the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) are also excellent. Unemployment levels are low. But despite recent reforms, VET remains relatively low status compared to general education, dropout rates are too high for comfort, and apprenticeships, despite recent efforts, fail to attract many young people. Suggested approaches to improve VET in Estonia include the expansion of work-based learning within all VET programmes and measures to increase the number of apprentices. Tackling dropout should be done by a set of complementary measures, including support in basic skills for those students lagging behind. Building pathways between VET and general education options can help improve the status of VET. More and better career guidance, especially before the key grade 9 transition point, is also needed.
One of a series of studies on vocational education and training, this review focuses on the vocational education and training (VET) in Sweden and concludes with policy recommendations.
Over recent years, Sweden has launched a series of reforms to enhance involvement of social partners in VET, to increase provision of work-based learning in VET programmes and to promote apprenticeship. Higher vocational education and training launched in 2002 has been expanding. At the same time, numerous sectors are grappling with labour shortages increasing pressure on VET to better match the provision to changing demand for skills; and fewer young people opt for VET programmes than in the past.
This report suggests several ways in which the Swedish VET system may respond to these challenges. Sweden may encourage co-operation between schools, for example by linking it to school evaluation and funding criteria. The report also argues that Sweden may further enhance social partners’ involvement in VET by creating a framework for systematic social partners’ involvement at the local level and by providing social partners with more responsibility over some aspects of VET.
One of a series of studies on vocational education and training, this review assesses vocational education and training (VET) in Thailand and provides policy recommendations. VET has the potential to provide relevant education and training opportunities to young people and adults in Thailand, especially as the demand for technical skills is high. This can be achieved by building on the strengths of the system, including a strong postsecondary vocational system and a small but dynamic dual system. However, it remains an unattractive option for many students in Thailand, because of a poor image among students and parents, quality issues, a hard-to-navigate system and limited progression pathways. Additional efforts are therefore needed to align the mix of provision with the needs of the Thai labour market. This review provides recommendations on how to improve access to programmes, reduce inequalities in access to high-quality institutions and programmes, make better use of skills intelligence to inform education and training policies, and engage employers in the design and delivery of vocational education and training, including work-based learning.
DIE ROLLE VON HUMAN- UND SOZIALKAPITAL
In unserer heutigen, sich rasch wandelnden Welt dürfte der Erfolg von Nationen, Individuen, gesellschaftlichen Gruppen und Gemeinwesen wohl mehr denn je von deren Fähigkeit abhängen, sich dem Wandel anzupassen, Wissen zu erwerben und auszutauschen.
Der vorliegende Bericht trägt zur Klärung der Konzepte Human- und Sozialkapital bei und evaluiert deren Einfluss auf Wirtschaftswachstum und Wohlergehen. Der Begriff des Sozialkapitals, der erst seit kurzem in der Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaft existiert, ist bislang noch relativ wenig belegt. Der Bericht stützt sich daher auf eine Reihe empirischer Untersuchungen, die auf potentiell signifikante Beziehungen zwischen Human- und Sozialkapital hindeuten.
Den verfügbaren Erkenntnissen zufolge können Human- und Sozialkapital einen entscheidenden Beitrag zu einer ganzen Reihe positiver Ergebnisse leisten, die von höheren Einkommen über stärkeren sozialen Zusammenhalt bis hin zu größerer Lebenszufriedenheit reichen. Auch wenn es keine Belege für systematische „Unterinvestitionen" weder in Human- oder Sozialkapital gibt, werden doch gewisse Bedenken hinsichtlich Verteilung und Qualität beider Kapitalformen geäußert und die Frage untersucht, wie sich diese Aspekte auf das Wohlergehen künftiger Generationen auswirken könnten. Kurzfristig verfügt die staatliche Politik nur über begrenzten Spielraum zur Beeinflussung von Qualität, Niveau und Verteilung des Human- und Sozialkapitals. Langfristig gibt es aber eine Reihe von Bereichen, in denen staatliche, private und ehrenamtliche Akteure zur Verbesserung des Human- und Sozialkapitals beitragen können.