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A World Bank blog on the power of investing in people

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Education is universally recognized as one of the most fundamental building blocks for human development and reducing poverty. Our blog explores issues related to global education policy.

Skills

A ‘Skilled’ Approach to Development

Submitted by Ariel Fiszbein on Mon, 2012-02-06 19:01


These days, there is a lot of talk about skills and their importance for a country’s development. Not too long ago the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called skills and knowledge “the driving forces of economic growth and social development in any country.” Last week, President Obama in his State of the Union address mentioned, once again, the critical importance of upgrading workers skills as part of his call for ‘An America Built to Last’.

What Learning for All Means for Europe and Central Asia

Submitted by Alberto Rodriguez on Thu, 2011-05-19 10:08

Students attend a vocational high school in TurkeyFollowing the recent launch of the World Bank’s new Education Strategy for 2020 by President Robert Zoellick, we now turn to thinking about how the new strategy translates into action on the ground around the world. In Europe and Central Asia (ECA), how can the principles of learning for all make a difference for this rapidly transforming region?

Education for Employment: Realizing Arab Youth Potential

Submitted by Svava Bjarnason on Fri, 2011-05-13 15:55

The headlines are sobering:
• The Arab World has 25% youth unemployment – the highest in the world – and female youth unemployment is even higher reaching over 30%
• The economic loss of youth unemployment costs US$40 to $50 billion annually – equivalent to the GDP of countries like Tunisia or Lebanon
• One third of the population in the region is below the age of 15 – a further third is aged 15 to 29.
• Two thirds of young people surveyed believe they do not have the skills required to get a good job


It is widely held that the revolutions taking place across the Middle East have been fuelled by a generation of youth who are over-educated or poorly-educated and unemployed.  Education for Employment (e4e) is an initiative that seeks to ‘realize Arab youth potential’ by providing education opportunities that focus on employability. The World Bank Group's International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Islamic Development Bank commissioned research for 22 countries across the Arab World with ‘deep dive’ research undertaken in 9 countries.  The report found that demand for e4e solutions is substantial and yet supply is nascent.  It also identified that critical enablers are missing, such as quality and standard setting, funding mechanisms, internship opportunities and information for young people on the value of different types of education.

Education: the 2010 Year in Review

Submitted by Christine Horansky on Fri, 2011-02-04 17:58

2010 was a banner year for education as global attention brought by the UN Millennium Development Goals summit in New York City spotlighted the catalytic role education plays in fighting poverty and meeting a number of critical development goals. As countries and development partners alike strive to maximize development effectiveness, investing in education has emerged as a clear priority for this reason -- as well as as part of the solution to rising unemployment, a point echoed by US President Barack Obama in last week's State of the Union. The World Bank's forthcoming Education Strategy, which launched global consultations in 2010, takes special aim at the critical need for learning to translate into skills for work and life. While the global economic downturn has threatened to slow hard-won progress, the World Bank scaled up development assistance with over $5 billion in support to education during FY2010.

Education is Fundamental to Development and Growth

Submitted by Elizabeth King on Fri, 2011-01-28 17:30

Earlier this month, I was invited to be a keynote speaker on the theme of "Education for Economic Success" at the Education World Forum, which brought education ministers and leaders from over 75 countries together in London.

Education is fundamental to development and growth. The human mind makes possible all development achievements, from health advances and agricultural innovations to efficient public administration and private sector growth. For countries to reap these benefits fully, they need to unleash the potential of the human mind. And there is no better tool for doing so than education.

Homework from the Seoul G-20: Measuring Skills

Submitted by Ariel Fiszbein on Tue, 2010-11-30 18:43

The Seoul G20 summit in November ended with some homework for the World Bank. We were asked to work with the ILO, OECD and UNESCO to develop internationally comparable indicators of skills that can help countries in their efforts to better match education and job training to market needs.  The G20 was right to make this a priority. 


In this post-financial crisis period, jobs play an important  role in recovery. Making sure that people have the right skills to get these jobs is the other side. Developing countries, especially, know that skills development is necessary if they are going to attract investment that will create decent jobs and raise productivity.


Are Non-Cognitive Gains in Education More Important than Test-Scores?

Submitted by Jishnu Das on Fri, 2010-11-05 18:24

Most educational interventions are widely considered successful if they increase test-scores -- which indicate cognitive ability. Presumably, this is because higher test-scores in school imply gains such as higher wages later on. 

However, non-cognitive outcomes also matter---a lot.

Jumpstarting Jobs: Skills Start with Education

Submitted by Christine Horansky on Wed, 2010-10-20 17:51

As the World Bank's Annual Meetings met to discuss global development this October, the issue of jobs was front and center. The new Open Forum 2010 allowed leading thinkers and engaged citizens from around the globe to weigh in on the ultimate question of how to jump-start jobs, as well as cultivate economic stabilty for future generations.  

Read the Human Development Network's Vice President Tamar Manuelyan Atinc's commentary, as she discusses the Jumpstarting Jobs session from the Meetings Center blog:

Southeast Asian Nations Can Leverage the Private Sector to Better Prepare a Skilled Workforce

Submitted by Education Team on Fri, 2010-08-20 14:45
See video

 

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations' ASEAN TV, reports on the need for Southeast Asia to better prepare a skilled labor force for the regionally-integrated global economy. World Bank Lead Education Economist, Harry Patrinos, comments on the role that public-private partnerships can play in better leveraging private resouces to support public education and link education and training to the demands of the labor market. Thailand and other developing Southeast Asian economies face the double challenge of expanding access while improving the quality and relevance of educational opportunities for children and youth.  Read Patrinos' piece on Public-Private Partnerships: An Option for Thailand and learn more about the World Bank's work on public-private partnerships for education.