Education
policy-making
in a complex world
MARIBELLE G. ACAC
I. The growing gap between
education and employment
1. Low employment growth and rising
vulnerability- The intensification of
economic globalization is producing patterns
of low-employment growth, rising youth
unemployment and vulnerable employment,
affecting societies both in the global North
and in the global South.
Youth unemployment signals a mismatch
between education, training and
employment,
2. Growing frustration among
youth-
The fact that appropriate jobs are becoming
scarcer is causing increasing frustration
among families and young graduates around
the world. Rising levels of educational
attainment among youth, and workers more
generally, are leading to increased
competition for jobs.
Disillusionis growing in some
segments of society and in
certain countries with
education as an effective
vehicle for upward social
mobility and greater well-
being.
3. Reconsidering the link
between education and the fast-
changing world of work
A number of responses have been proposed to address
this disconnection between
formal education and training and the world of work,
including retraining of workers,
second chance programmes and stronger partnerships with
industry.
How can the relevance of education, particularly at the
secondary level, be enhanced to make it more responsive
to the lives of young students and to their prospects for
employment? Are existing measures
sufficient? Education alone cannot
solve the problem of
unemployment
II. Recognizing and validating learning in a mobile world
1. Changing patterns of human mobility-Human mobility, both internationally and internally within countries, has reached the highest levels in history. One in seven inhabitants in the world, or approximately one billion people, may be considered to be ‘on the move’ in today’s world.
These shifting patterns of human mobility have important consequences for
education and for employment
2. From brain drain to brain gain
braindrain can also result in a
brain gain, because migrants
develop diaspora networks and
serve as resources for capital and
technological flows to their home
countries.
3. Increased mobility of workers
and learners
We see more mobility of workers across
professional occupations. the growing scale
and the changing patterns of migration are
making the mobility of skilled labour
increasingly complex and global across all
regions of the world
4. Growing interest in large-scale assessments of learning: Benefits and risks
- These large-scale assessments can serve as valuable tools for national accountability of public and private investment in education, particularly by monitoring the learning outcomes of those
most disadvantaged by educational systems.
The risks associated with
large-scale assessments are
particularly great when they are
used for purposes other than
informing educational policy,
such as determining teacher
pay or school rankings.
5. Towards open and flexible
lifelong learning systems
Recognition and validation of knowledge and
competencies acquired through multiple
learning pathways are nonetheless part of a
lifelong learning framework.
lifelong learning is critically important to
coping with new employment patterns and
achieving the levels and types of
competencies required by individuals and
societies.
III. Rethinking citizenship education in a diverse and
interconnected world
1. Emerging expressions of citizenship-
The notion of citizenship refers to an
individual’s membership in a political
community defined within a nation-state.
Today the definition of citizenship remains
centred on the nation-state, but the concept
and its practice is changing under the
influence of globalization and public education
is related to the shaping of citizenship.
2. Challenges for national
education
New communication technologies and social
media are an essential catalyst for this
transformation, particularly among youth.
Indeed, today‘s youth represent a formidable
opportunity as they are the most educated,
informed and connected generation in human
history.
3. Recognition of cultural diversity
and rejection of cultural chauvinism
Migration, in particular, is contributing to greater
cultural diversity within education systems, the
workplace and society generally. Yet we are
also witnessing a rise in cultural chauvinism and
identity-based political mobilization
that present serious challenges to social cohesion
throughout the world. While cultural
diversity is a source of enrichment, it can also give
rise to conflict when social cohesion
is under strain.
4. Fostering responsible citizenship
and solidarity in a global world
Education has a crucial role in promoting the
knowledge we need to develop.
Celebrating cultural diversity in education-
Enhanced diversity in education can improve the
quality of education by introducing both educators
and learners to the diversity of perspectives and the
variety of lived worlds.
Encouraging inclusive policy-making- More
inclusive processes of consultation on key policy
issues are essential to constructive citizenship
education in a diverse world.
IV. Global governance of education
and national policy-making
1. Emerging forms of global governance-
Systems of norm-setting and regulation in
the delivery of global goods such as
education are not new, but they are
becoming more complex. Traditionally these
systems were the responsibility of national
governments and inter-governmental
organizations, but we are seeing increasing
participation by a range of non-state actors .
2. Accountability and associated
data needs
Data are vital to governance and to accountability for
the diverse stakeholders involved in and concerned
by public education at both national and global
levels.
At the national level- national authorities be able to
account for ensuring equal opportunity for post-
basic education and training.
At the global level, data are increasingly standardized
and quantifiable used to inform, as well as to
legitimate policymaking and investment in education.
3. Changing patterns of
educational financing
It has been noted that ‘Public statements
of multilateral institutions suggest a strong
commitment to education. In addition,
surveys of developing country stakeholders in
governments, civil society and the
private sector show a strong demand for
educational support more widely.
4. The influence of donors on
national policy-making
Donors not only provide development aid to
supplement much needed domestic
resources, they also wield tremendous
influence on education policy.
5. Changing dynamics of
international cooperation
The global financial crisis and emergence of
new economic powers have also contributed
to changing relations between countries and
creating a new international aid architecture.
