Education : Past, Present and Future Global Challenges
Progress in educational development in the world since 1900 has been slow and uneven between countries. Providing basic education for all children in developing countries has been and remains an unmet challenge of governments and international orga...
Main Authors: | , |
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Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2012
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20110329095336 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3383 |
Summary: | Progress in educational development in
the world since 1900 has been slow and uneven between
countries. Providing basic education for all children in
developing countries has been and remains an unmet challenge
of governments and international organizations alike. This
is in sharp contrast to recent findings in the economics
literature on the catalytic role of human capital for
economic growth and social development in general. Using a
newly constructed matched data set on education and national
accounts in the 1950 to 2010 period, this paper estimates
the loss of income and equity associated with not having a
faster rate of human capital accumulation, using alternative
methodologies and specific country examples. Such loss is
projected backward (1900-1950) and forward (2010-2050) using
plausible assumptions regarding what countries could have
done in the past or may do in the future to accelerate human
capital formation. The findings suggest that the welfare
loss in terms of per capita income conservatively ranges
from about 7 to 10 percent. Improved educational attainment
is also shown to have an effect in reducing income inequality. |
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