LEGAL AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE IQMS
4.15 World educational rankings
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OECD research shows that if the average level of education of the working-age population was increased by 1 year, the economy would be 3-6 per cent larger, and the growth rate of the economy would be up to 1 per cent higher. International research has shown a close relationship between higher literacy standards and economic growth, with a 1 per cent premium on average literacy scores linked to a 1.5 per cent higher level of per capita GDP. ( OECD Education at a Glance, 2006).
A recent international study found that countries able to attain literacy scores 1 per cent higher than the international average will achieve living standards – measured by GDP per capita – that are 1.5 per cent higher than other countries. (Coulombe, Tremblay and Marchand, (2004) Literacy scores, human capital and growth across 14 OECD countries, Statistics Canada)
Policy formulators need to decide where their priorities lie. However, whether it is through focusing on literacy levels, improving retention rates, or increasing the average number of years spent in education, the evidence suggests that more and better educated economies are wealthier economies.
Countries that invest in education do better in achieving their potential economic growth rate.
Beyond economic goals, educational analysts also highlight that education creates other social benefits.
It helps build social capital – societies with a strong commitment to education can also enjoy higher levels of civic participation in community and religious groups, greater social cohesion and integration, lower levels of crime and social disadvantage, and a more trusting, equitable and just society.
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The OECD member countries are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The organisation examines results and education conditions from each country, comparing and tracking various elements in order to be able to advise and warn on failings within systems. According to their 2009 annual report, their findings reveal that:
“Australia’s inadequate investment in education is affecting outputs. The World Economic Forum’s most recent annual report on global competitiveness reports that Australia’s education ranking overall is below competitor countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan.
Science and maths education levels lag even further behind, with Australia ranked 29th globally, behind countries like Singapore, France, India, the Czech Republic and even Tunisia”.
This report sees Australia ranked at only 30th, still behind the 133 countries quoted and far behind their Antipodean neighbours New Zealand who are ranked 9th.
The “Australia needs an Education Revolution” document also indicates in other international tests conducted for the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS), that 15 countries outperformed Australia. The report adds that “Australia’s maths and science education performance has also been criticised by scientists, academics, and industry organisations for eroding Australia’s scientific knowledge base, with long term implications for Australia’s future research and innovation capacity”.
The World Economic Forum Competitiveness Report 2009, another respected publication released results which were surprising to many of the more developed nations. Their findings were grouped according to (amongst others) quality of maths and science education, in addition to the overall evaluation of the education system in each country.
If the position is deemed to be gloomy in Australia then a glance at the situation in Sub-Saharan African countries is particularly depressing, more specifically South Africa who is ranked last of the 133 countries surveyed in the quality of maths and science.
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It is significant to note that even countries with a history of political turmoil such as Zimbabwe and Chad were rated far higher than the more stable South Africa, with a supposedly more developed economy. By contrast Singapore, Finland and Qatar were ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively. Selected African countries are listed in Table 21 below:
Table 21: Quality of maths and science education. Rank out of 133
Rank Country Rank Country Rank Country
49 Senegal 63 Burundi 64 Kenya 65 Mauritius 66 Cote d’ Ivoir 69 Benin 70 Madagascar 75 Zimbabwe 77 Cameroon
81 Botswana 82 Burkina Faso 90 Zambia 91 Gambia 92 Lesotho 95 Mauritania 97 Nigeria 100 Ghana 102 Malawi
106 Ethiopia 107 Uganda 108 Mali 110 Chad 120 Namibia 122 Mozambique 128 Tanzania 133 South Africa
Source: World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2009
Another area under investigation was the total investment (proportionately in relation to GDP) which the government of each country put into their education system. Here, it will be seen that Sub Saharan countries have prioritised this, and are investing heavily into their educational system as illustrated in the following table:
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Table 22: Investment into education – Rank out of 133
Rank Country Rank Country Rank Country 2 Lesotho
5 Namibia 10 Zimbabwe 13 Kenya 14 Botswana 32 South Africa 37 Burundi 48 Ghana 49 Cote d’Ivoir
53 Senegal 64 Burkina Faso 70 Uganda 78 Mozambique 80 Ethiopia 83 Benin 84 Mali 88 Malawi 90 Mauritius
97 Madagascar 108 Mauritania 111 Cameroon 116 Tanzania 119 Zambia 121 Gambia 126 Chad 128 Nigeria
Source: World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2009
In relation to the question of how well the educational system met the needs of the competitive economy, South Africa and other Sub-Saharan countries did not rank well. When viewed in relation to Table 22 above, where these countries in general are apportioning significant amounts of budget to education, it is shocking to see that despite this, South Africa ranks near the bottom – indicating that the education system in general is not meeting the needs of the people as shown in Table 23 below:
Table 23: Quality of the educational system. Rank out of 133
Rank Country Rank Country Rank Country 29 Gambia
34 Kenya 42 Botswana 46 Zimbabwe 48 Nigeria 51 Mauritius 55 Senegal 58 Zambia 65 Malawi
69 Benin 70 Ethiopia 72 Lesotho 74 Ghana 84 Cameroon 88 Madagascar 91 Uganda 92 Tanzania 93 Mozambique
95 Cote d’Ivoire 104 Namibia 109 Chad 119 South Africa 121 Mali 124 Mauritania 127 Burkina Faso 131 Burundi
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Source: World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2009