OECD and World Bank differ in educational policy views
Publicly funded choice mechanisms in education help overcome school failure and reduce inequities, according to a new study on school choice and equity by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The results of this study mark a “showdown” between two main global institutions - the OECD itself and the World Bank (WB), says the blog of Karen Mundy, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto and Co-Chair of the Canadian Global Campaign for Education.
In stark contrast with the OECD conclusions, Mundy explains, recent WB reports advocate for “private provision as a magic bullet for improving educational outcomes”. This is perfectly illustrated by the so-called System Assessment and Benchmarking Education for Results (SABER), a new support programme for public private partnerships in education promoted by the WB as part of the new Education Strategy 2020.
Equal opportunities are key
Mundy showcases the example of Chile, where national policies support private schooling through an extensive voucher system. This allows the State to pay private and municipal schools directly based on student attendance. “For the (World) Bank, privately provided schools continue to be described as likely to improve the quality of learning outcomes for children, despite the limited evidence that they’ve supported better learning in Chile. How come?” states Mundy.
She continues: “We should all question how two global public institutions can derive such very different policy conclusions from evidence.”
Flexibility, competitive environment and autonomous schools are some of the key ideas highlighted within the WB reports, whereas the OECD study emphasises the principle of equal opportunities and fair access to education.
“My Chilean colleagues have, like the OECD, concluded that achieving good quality education for all is less about choice, and more about good teachers,” Mundy concludes.
To read the full report, “School choice and equity: Current policies in OECD countries and a literature review”, please go here
To read the SABER World Bank report “Framework for Engaging the Private Sector in Education” please go here
