Table of Contents
Foreword xix
Acknowledgments xxi
About the Authors xxiii
Abbreviations xxv
Overview 1
Celebrating South Asia's Successes 3
Outlining South Asia's Challenges 6
How Can South Asia Do Better? Overarching Principles 13
From Principles to Action: Sector-Specific Recommendations 19
Outline of the Report 22
Notes 23
References 23
Part I Education in the South Asian Context 25
Chapter 1 Is South Asia's Education System Preparing Young People to Succeed? 27
Access to Education Has Improved Considerably 28
Student Learning Outcomes in School Are Weak, but Learning Assessments Need Improvement to Pinpoint Why 38
A Certificate, Diploma, or Graduate Degree May Not Bestow Much-Needed Skills 46
What Factors Explain Low Learning Levels? 49
How Can South Asia Do Better on Access and Measuring Outcomes? 50
Notes 52
References 53
Spotlight 1 Access to Basic Education in Afghanistan and Bangladesh 55
Gender Gap 55
Government Efforts to Expand Access to Education 56
Challenges: Equity, Quality, and Monitoring 58
Notes 60
References 60
Chapter 2 Public Financing of Education in South Asia 61
The Structure of Public Financing in South Asia 62
Are South Asian Countries Spending Adequately on Education and Skills? 63
Education Spending by Functional Classification 67
Is Education Spending in South Asia Efficient? 71
Equity of Public Spending on Education in South Asia 73
How Can South Asia Do Better on Public Finance? 75
Notes 76
References 76
Spotlight 2 Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Education 79
Factors Contributing to the Successful Integration of Technology 79
Realizing the Potential of Technology Tools in Education 83
References 83
Part II Early Childhood Development in South Asia 85
Chapter 3 Investing in Early Childhood Development in South Asia Is Crucial 87
Early Childhood Development in South Asia 88
Policy Environment and Service Delivery Models of Early Childhood Development in South Asia 90
Early Childhood Development from Birth to Preschool 92
Nutrition and Health Interventions 98
Responsive Parenting, Early Stimulation, and Parental Knowledge 98
Preprimary Education 101
Quality of Preprimary Education in South Asia 103
How Can South Asia Do Better on Early Childhood Development? 107
Notes 109
References 110
Part III Improving Teacher Effectiveness in South Asia 115
Chapter 4 South Asia Has Too Few Effective Teachers 117
Why Teachers Matter, and What Do Effective Teachers Do? 118
Teachers in South Asia Have Inadequate Conceptual and Teaching Skills 119
Weak Professional Norms Make Teaching a Second-Class Profession 122
Note 128
References 128
Chapter 5 Managing the Quality of Teaching in South Asia Has Been Difficult 131
The Dramatic Expansion in Schooling Has Been Accompanied by a Large Expansion in the Teaching Workforce in Many Countries 132
Rapid Schooling Expansion Increased the Supply of Qualified Teachers but Not the Quality of Teachers 138
Salaries and Benefits Are Good, but Only for Some Teachers, and Are Not Tied to Performance 143
Notes 150
References 150
Chapter 6 Are South Asia's Teachers Prepared to Teach? Pre-Service and In-Service Training 153
A Rapid Increase in Pre-Service Programs of Inadequate Quality, with Few Links to Universities and Research 154
Weak Governance of Pre-Service Education Programs Underlies Poor Quality 160
In-Service Professional Development Programs Could Compensate for Some of the Deficits of Pre-Service Training But Suffer from Their Own Shortcomings 161
Notes 166
References 166
Chapter 7 School Principals Find It Difficult to Support Teachers 169
Principals Can Play a Key Role in Improving School Outcomes 169
Who Are South Asia's Principals? 171
Principals in South Asia Multitask, Leaving Little Time to Support Teachers 175
Private School Principals Differ from Public School Principals in Some Respects, But Outcomes Are Not Much Better 182
Notes 185
References 185
Chapter 8 How Can South Asia Do Better on Teacher Policy and Practice? 187
Make Teaching an Attractive Profession 187
Manage the Teacher System Carefully 189
Prepare Teachers before They Enter the Classroom 192
Mentor Teachers and Upgrade Their Skills Throughout Their Career 193
Strengthen School Leadership 195
Notes 196
References 196
Spotlight 3 Leveraging Private Schools in South Asia 203
Notes 208
References 208
Part IV Skills for Jobs in South Asia 211
Chapter 9 Growing Interest in Skills Development in South Asia 215
The Main Features of Skills Development Systems in South Asia 216
Reasons for the Growing Interest in Skills Development in South Asia 220
Notes 224
References 225
Spotlight 4 Twenty-First-Century Skills: A Shift in Learning Goals in South Asia? 229
Note 231
References 231
Chapter 10 Skills Development Strategies Are Promising, but What about Results? 233
Recent Changes in Skills Development Strategies 234
What Have We Learned about the Results So Far? 242
Notes 256
References 257
Chapter 11 How Can South Asia Do Better on Skills Development? 259
What Factors Are Slowing Progress? 260
What Is Most Important to Do Next? 267
Notes 279
References 279
Part V Higher Education in South Asia 281
Chapter 12 Higher Education in South Asia: Rapidly Growing, Diverse, and Unequal 283
A Diverse System with a Complex Governance Arrangement 284
Enormous Growth in Student Numbers 288
Quality in Supply and Outcomes Has Not Kept Pace with the Increase in Demand 290
Will Poor People Benefit from Growth? 295
Notes 299
References 300
Spotlight 5 What Will It Take to Internationalize Higher Education in South Asia? 301
What Is the internationalization of Higher Education? 301
Stirrings of Cross-Border Internationalization in South Asia-with Some Signs of Progress 302
Internationalization at Home-an Unexplored Agenda 306
Notes 307
References 308
Chapter 13 Managing the Complexity and Growth of the Higher Education System Requires Strong Governance 311
Governing the Rapidly Expanding Higher Education System Will Be a Challenge for Governments in South Asia 312
Too Much External Control Has Weakened Internal Governance 315
An Inefficient Affiliation System Hampers College Autonomy 318
Weak Quality Assurance Systems Hamper Accountability 321
Poor Targeting of Financial Aid and Little Support for First-Generation College Students Makes
Leveling the Playing Field Difficult 324
Notes 325
References 326
Chapter 14 How Can South Asia Do Better in Higher Education? 329
Toward a More Efficient Higher Education System 331
Improving the Quality of Higher Education 334
Tools to Meaningfully Expand Opportunity for All Students to Access Higher Education 339
Notes 344
References 344
Chapter 15 How Can South Asia Do Better? 347
Political Commitment Is Indispensable in Translating Good Principles into Sound Policy 348
Technical Solutions Reflecting Good Practice Are Essential 350
Prioritizing by Balancing Quick, Effective Actions with Those Needed to Sustain Impact 353
References 355
Boxes
O.1 Outlining South Asia's Successes: Key Messages 2
O.2 Outlining South Asia's Challenges: Key Messages 6
O.3 How Can South Asia Do Better? Key Messages 14
1.1 Countries Are Conducting Many More Learning Assessments, but More Work Is Needed on Comparability 39
1.2 External Factors Affecting the Education System 49
1.3 Tips on Using Learning Assessments to Improve Student Outcomes 52
3.1 Bangladesh's Complex Early Childhood Development Service Delivery System 92
3.2 Preprimary Education Policy in Nepal 103
3.3 How to Advance Early Childhood Development Programs for Greater Impact in South Asia 107
4.1 What Do Teachers' Unions in South Asia Campaign For? 123
6.1 Key Features of Pre-Service Programs in Top-Performing School Systems 156
6.2 Process Evaluation of the National Mission for Secondary Education In-Service Teacher Training Program in India 165
