Knowledge Economy Forum

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Knowledge Economy Forum

• World Bank Conference
• 21 February 2002
• Ian Whitman -- OECD
• www.oecd.org/els/emerging/education

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The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD)Centre for Co-operation with
Non Members (CCNM)Directorate for Education,
Employment, Labour and Social Affairs (DEELSA)

• Work with Non Members since 1991
• Reviews and seminars Central and Eastern Europe,
  Russian Federation and Newly Independent States,
  Stability Pact for the Balkans, Chile and Israel,
  China
• World Education Indicators (WEI) Programme for
  International Student Assessment (PISA)
• Not a financial institution, but recommendations
  often used by Non Members bilateral and
  multilateral partners
• Close co-operation with the ETF and World Bank
  and other organisations

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Comparative Perspective

• Identify and Respect Unique
• Geography, Demography and Economy
• History and Culture
• Identify Good Practice in Policy and Process
• Avoid Uniform Application to Diverse Problems

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INVESTING IN COMPETENCIES FOR ALL

• Essential for a Knowledge Based Society
• Lifelong Learning Perspective
• Early Childhood
• Schooling
• Transition from School to Work
• Adults

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Themes From OECD Policy Reviews

• Conceptual Foundation for Reform
• Contrast Between Concepts and Realities
• Need for Alignment of Policies To Support
  Systemic Reform
• Urban/rural Disparities

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Themes continued

• Human Resources in the Education Sector
• Special Needs Population
• Impact of Governmental Reform on Education Policy
• The Role of the Nation in a Global Economy
• National Policy Leadership for Education Reform

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Overall Theme From Forward Thinking to Action
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Impressive Progress in Reform

• Basic Legal Structure for All Levels
• National Curriculum
• New Assessment and Testing Policies
• School Leaving/University Entrance
• Initiatives to Improve Quality and Accountability
• Access to Technology (ICT)
• Vocational Education Reforms

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• Broadening the University Mission
• Teaching
• Research
• Services to Regions, Municipalities, and
  Professionals.
• More Diverse Higher Education System
  Non-university College Sector
• Open/distance Learning

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• Significant Pilot and Demonstration Projects
• Open Society Foundation (Soros)
• EC-PHARE
• Bilateral Agreements with OECD Countries

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From Forward-thinking to Strategy and Action

• Gain Broader Public Debate
• Engage Employers and Other Social Partners
• Remove Ambiguities and Barriers in Governance and
  Finance
• Increase Incentives to Make the Difficult
  Decisions to Improve Quality While Reducing Costs

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Actions Continued

• Establish/Enhance Policy Mechanisms to Guide and
  Sustain Systemic Change
• At the Level of the Ministry
• Across Ministries Addressing Similar Issues
  (early childhood and vocational)
• Within the Major Sectors
• At the Regional and Local Levels

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Overall Recommendations
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From Focus on Top Achievers to Engaging All
Learners

• Must Develop All Human Resources
• Danger Narrowing Disparities in the Quality of
  Education for Different Segments of the
  Population
• Vocational schools
• Gymnasia

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• Specific Actions to Reach All Learners
• Aligning Testing/assessment Instruments With
  Learner-centred Philosophy of the National
  Curriculum
• Programme for Student Assessment (PISA)
• Diversifying Secondary Education
• Addressing the Problem of Small Rural Schools

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• Specific Actions (Continued)
• Strengthening the Vocational Education System.
• Ensuring ICT Access throughout the Education
  System
• Developing Adult Education and Retraining System
• Elaborating Policies on Student Financing
• Continuing Progress Regarding Ethnic Minorities

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Achieve More With the Same Resources Used
Differently

• Problem How to Make More Efficient Use of
  Existing Resources
• Examples of Efforts to Address Problem
• Consolidating or Merging Small Institutions
• Creating Larger School Complexes
• Achieving Economies of Scale to Improve Quality

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• Avoiding Further Dispersion of Limited Available
  Human Resources
• Decentralising School Management
• Increasing Incentives for Efficient Resource
  Utilisation,
• Training of School Directors to Make Reforms
  Effective

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Balance Decentralisation and Institutional
Autonomy with a New Role for Ministries of
Education
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• Decentralisation Is Important
• Consistent With Progressive Policy Developments
• University Autonomy Enabled Institutions to
• Improve Quality
• Diversify Revenue
• Improve Internal Management,
• Respond More Effectively to Regional and National
  Priorities

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• But Need to Balance Autonomy With a New Role for
  Ministry of Education
• Overall Policy Leadership and Co-ordination
• Leading Change
• Ensuring Accountability
• Change
• From
• Operating and Controlling Schools and
  Institutions
• To
• Setting Goals
• Supervising, Supporting, and Monitoring of System
  and Institutional Performance

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• Priority Functions
• Developing and Sustaining Public Consensus on
  Fundamental Goals for Education
• Promoting Co-ordination Across the Government of
  Functions That Relate to Education
• Promoting Public Accountability
• Continuing to Develop Strategic Alliances With
  NGOs, Employers and International Organisations
  to Support and Sustain Reform