ERIC ED608941: Expectations and Aspirations: A New Framework for Education in the Middle East and North Africa

2020·4.6 MB·English

by  ERIC

EXPECTATIONS
AND ASPIRATIONS
A New Framework for Education
in the Middle East and North Africa
Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali
and Caroline Krafft
Editors

Expectations and
Aspirations
A New Framework for Education in the
Middle East and North Africa
Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali
and Caroline Krafft
Editors
© 2020 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank
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Attribution—Please cite the work as follows: El-Kogali, Safaa El Tayeb, and Caroline Krafft, eds.
2020. Expectations and Aspirations: A New Framework for Education in the Middle East and
North Africa. Washington, DC: World Bank. doi:10.1596/978-1-4648-1234-7. License: Creative
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ISBN (paper): 978-1-4648-1234-7
ISBN (electronic): 978-1-4648-1235-4
DOI: 10.1596/978-1-4648-1234-7
Cover design: Concept by Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali; calligraphy by Aya Krisht. The design consists of
three words in Arabic: “Knowledge, education, learning.” Background image by Kjpargeter/Freepik
.com. Used with permission; further permission required for reuse.
Interior image credits: The following images are by individual artists from thenounproject.com:
Figure O.1/Figure 2.1: “Rope” by Pedro Baños Cancer. Figure O.2/Figure 2.2: “Diploma” by Ben
Davis; “Brain” by Max Hancock. Figure O.7/Figure 4.1: “Handshake” by Gregor Cresnar; “Climbing”
by IYIKON; “Man Pushing Big Ball” by Gan Khoon Lay; “Pull” by Pavel, N. Figure O.17/Figure 4.2:
“Brain” by Max Hancock. Figure O.21/Figure 4.4: “Handshake” by Gregor Cresnar; “People”
by Anastasia Latysheva; “Idea” by Ben Markoch. Figure 3.1: “Immigration” by Yosef. Figure 3.4:
“Manual Barrier” by ProSymbols, US; “Teacher” by Arif Fajar Yulianto; “Resilience” by Attilio
Baghino; “Student” by Doub.co.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been requested.
Contents
Editors’ Note ................................................................. xiii
Acknowledgments ..............................................................xv
About the Editors and Authors ..................................................xvii
Abbreviations ................................................................ xix
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali
Education has large untapped potential for the Middle East and North Africa ............1
Much has changed in MENA—and the world—but education in MENA remains stuck ....2
Four tensions are holding back education in MENA .................................4
A new framework is needed to realize education’s potential in MENA .................12
Push for learning ...........................................................13
Pull for skills ..............................................................37
Recognize that context matters for learning and skills ..............................42
A new education pact ........................................................46
Unleashing the potential of education is attainable .................................52
Notes ....................................................................53
References ................................................................53
1 . A New Lens on Education in MENA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Igor Kheyfets, Elisabeth Sedmik, Mohammed Audah, Laura Gregory, and Caroline Krafft
MENA’s economic and social challenges require a renewed focus on human
capital development .......................................................67
Learning and skills are essential to build human capital ............................73
Notes ....................................................................81
References ................................................................82
iii
iv Contents
2 . Behaviors, Norms, and the Political Economy of Education in MENA . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali
Education is an inherently political and social process ..............................85
Four tensions are holding back education in MENA ................................86
Recognizing and addressing these constraints are critical for education in MENA ........93
Notes ....................................................................93
References ................................................................93
3 . Securing Learning for Children in Conflict and Crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Noah Yarrow and Maja Capek
Remove barriers to education access ............................................98
Improve the learning experience of displaced children .............................107
Strengthen resilience at the systems level ........................................108
Rethink external funding mechanisms for education sectors in crisis ..................111
Notes ...................................................................112
References ...............................................................113
4 . Adopting a New Framework for Education in MENA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali and Caroline Krafft
Push for learning: Focus on learning, not just on schooling .........................121
Pull for skills: Complementary reforms are needed for education to achieve its potential ....122
A new education pact: Create a unified vision for education .........................125
Note ....................................................................129
References ...............................................................129
5 . Establishing a Foundation for Lifelong Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131
Igor Kheyfets and Samira Nikaein Towfighian
Intervene early for biggest impact .............................................131
Universalize preschool education ..............................................132
Build strong foundational skills in the early years .................................138
Notes ...................................................................141
References ...............................................................141
6 . Ensuring Inclusive and Equitable Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Laura Gregory and May Bend
Remove barriers to access ...................................................143
Recognize and address learning gaps by supporting the lowest-performing
students and schools .....................................................146
Improve the quality of boys’ education and address MENA’s gender paradox ..........148
Increase resources for special needs to reduce inequality ............................151
Notes ...................................................................153
References ...............................................................153
Spotlight 1: Choosing a Language of Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
May Bend and Laura Gregory
Modern standard Arabic ....................................................155
Multiple local languages ....................................................156
Instruction in a foreign language ..............................................156
Contents v
Begin in the child’s mother tongue .............................................157
Increase research into Arabic-language learning ..................................158
Improve foreign language instruction at all levels .................................158
References ...............................................................159
7 . Modernizing Curricula, Instruction, and Assessment to Improve Learning . . . . . .161
Laura Gregory and May Bend
Modernize curricula to meet students’ needs .....................................161
Encourage instructional practices that maximize children’s potential .................168
Provide classroom environments conducive to learning .............................173
Use assessment methods to adapt instruction and promote higher-order skills. . . . . . . . . . . 176
Notes ...................................................................178
References ...............................................................179
Spotlight 2: Measuring Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Laura Gregory and Elisabeth Sedmik
National and international large-scale student assessments monitor education
system progress .........................................................183
Public examinations can catalyze reform but also can create perverse incentives ........186
Noncognitive and socioemotional skills should be assessed alongside cognitive skills .....190
Notes ...................................................................190
References ...............................................................190
8. Leveraging Education Technology ..................................... 193
Mariam Nusrat Adil, Venkatesh Sundararaman, and May Bend
Digital technology is altering all facets of life in MENA ............................194
Innovations in EdTech are disrupting the education sector .........................195
Providing access to technology is not enough ....................................198
Blended learning approaches have yielded promising results .........................199
Online courses have grown rapidly in popularity .................................199
Technology-based “nudges” can promote behavioral change in education .............201
Online textbooks can facilitate access to information ..............................201
Smart classrooms are the classrooms of the future ................................202
Navigating the technological landscape can be tricky ..............................203
Notes ...................................................................203
References ...............................................................204
9 . Empowering Teachers to Lead the Way to Better Student Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Lianqin Wang, Bob Prouty, Manal Bakur N Quota, and Angela Demas
Recruit the best and prepare them to be effective teachers ..........................207
Strengthen continuous professional support to teachers ............................211
Use teacher assessment to strengthen support and accountability .....................217
Provide meaningful incentives to motivate and reward teachers ......................218
Notes ...................................................................220
References ...............................................................221
10 . Developing Effective School Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Lianqin Wang, Angela Demas, Manal Bakur N Quota, and Bob Prouty
Transform the role of the school principal from administrator to instructional leader .....225
vi Contents
Modernize criteria and processes to select new school leaders .......................228
Empower school leaders with professional development and rewarding career pathways ....229
Provide school leaders with more authority to support teaching and learning ...........231
References ...............................................................232
11 . Prioritizing Investments to Promote Learning and Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Igor Kheyfets and Mohammed Audah
Invest sufficient public resources in education ....................................235
Allocate resources toward learning ............................................239
Manage the teacher workforce efficiently .......................................243
Notes ...................................................................248
References ...............................................................249
Spotlight 3: Linking Budget Management to Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Igor Kheyfets
Link budgets to strategic national and education priorities ..........................251
Budget for education with an explicit focus on learning ............................251
Improve budget execution rates to smooth service delivery ..........................252
Notes ...................................................................253
References ...............................................................253
12 . Strengthening Skills by Linking Education to the Labor Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Almedina Music and Caroline Krafft
Workplace training can provide students with job-relevant skills .....................255
Companies in MENA report difficulties in finding an adequately skilled workforce ......258
Improving labor market information flows can help both students and employers ........259
Notes ...................................................................260
References ...............................................................261
13 . Rethinking Tertiary Education: High-Level Skills and Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Jamil Salmi
Tertiary education needs to confer skills relevant to the labor market and to focus
on high-quality research ..................................................263
Attracting the best, investing adequate resources, and operating under enabling
governance systems are key determinants of university performance ...............264
Rethinking tertiary education: The way forward .................................265
Notes ...................................................................269
References ...............................................................269
14 . Strengthening Accountability for Better Learning Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Lianqin Wang, Manal Bakur N Quota, Angela Demas, and Bob Prouty
Establish accountability mechanisms within education systems ......................271
Involve communities and parents in accountability systems .........................278
Use media and technology to support accountability systems ........................282
Notes ...................................................................283
References ...............................................................283
Contents vii
15 . Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali and Caroline Krafft
Offering lessons for effective education reform ...................................287
Unleashing the potential of education ..........................................290
References ...............................................................290
Appendix: Overview of MENA Policy Recommendations .................... 293
Boxes
O.1 Conflict has taken a large toll on education in MENA ..........................4
O.2 World Development Report 2018: Learning to Realize Education’s Promise .......13
O.3 Prioritizing early childhood education in the United Arab Emirates ...............18
O.4 Attracting the best students to teaching depends on the right
policies and programs ...............................................20
O.5 School principals also must act as instructional leaders .........................22
O.6 Teaching at the right level benefits students ..................................25
O.7 Improving foreign language instruction is important ..........................27
O.8 Conflict in MENA is depriving many children of education .....................30
O.9 MENA’s gender paradox presents a dual challenge for human capital .............33
O.10 EdTech offers opportunities to leapfrog learning ..............................36
O.11 Signaling in education is communicating about skills ..........................38
O.12 Reforming vocational education ..........................................42
O.13 Finland and the Republic of Korea rely on different successful education models ....43
O.14 In Rwanda, education has played a role in building peace .......................46
O.15 Peru has found success in aligning interests ..................................48
O.16 Egypt’s education sector uses technology to ensure accountability ................50
1.1 Migration affects education systems in MENA through three key channels .........71
1.2 Technological change is driving the shift in labor market demand for skills .........72
1.3 Income mobility lags behind educational mobility in MENA ....................77
3.1 Displaced within their countries’ borders: IDPs’ struggle to access education .......100
3.2 Informing the global response to forced displacement: The need for better data ....101
3.3 Great expectations, limited impact: EdTech for refugees .......................103
3.4 Learning from international experience: The European Qualifications Passport
for Refugees .........................................................106
3.5 Sharing responsibility for the forcibly displaced: The Global Compact on Refugees ...110
4.1 Signaling in education is communicating about skills .........................124
4.2 Peru has found success in aligning interests .................................127
5.1 Universalizing access to preprimary education in Argentina and Algeria ..........135
5.2 Prioritizing early childhood education in the United Arab Emirates ..............135
5.3 Combatting inequality through ECE: An example from Boston .................137
5.4 Unifying ECE curriculum in the national core curriculum of New Zealand
and Finland .........................................................139
5.5 Screening for literacy and numeracy development in England ...................140
6.1 Early grade literacy and numeracy interventions in Jordan have had different
impacts on girls and boys ..............................................150
viii Contents
6.2 Negative attitudes toward disability and special education exist in MENA ........152
7.1 Competency-based learning .............................................162
7.2 Balancing repetition and high-level problem solving ..........................165
7.3 Relevance in vocational education ........................................167
7.4 Moving from poor to fair: The role of scripted lessons in structured pedagogy .....172
7.5 Using peer instruction to assess, challenge, and engage in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics lessons .....................................177
S2.1 Malaysia faced various challenges in introducing task-based assessment ..........189
8.1 Introducing disruptive technology in the classroom: From the blackboard to ICTs. . . .194
9.1 Selection of initial teacher education candidates in Finland ....................208
9.2 Teacher licensing in the United States .....................................210
9.3 Teaching-research groups in Shanghai .....................................216
9.4 Professional development experiences in MENA .............................217
10.1 Distributed and collaborative school leadership in Singapore ...................227
10.2 Training school principals to become effective instructional leaders in
New Zealand .....................................................228
10.3 School principals’ career ladders in Shanghai ...............................231
11.1 Public spending and expansion of access to education in Saudi Arabia ............236
11.2 Growing public investment in early learning: The cases of Finland and Sweden. . . . .241
11.3 Capital budgeting in education: The use of national infrastructure plans ..........242
11.4 Class size policies across the OECD .......................................245
13.1 The MENA University Governance Screening Card ..........................269
14.1 Systems Approach for Better Education Results .............................272
14.2 Jordan’s education reform: Evidence-supported accountability ..................274
14.3 Boston Public Schools’ support systems ....................................276
14.4 Social and behavior change communications ................................279
14.5 Using school report cards to promote transparency and accountability ...........280
14.6 Using technology in Egypt’s education sector to ensure accountability ............282
15.1 Finland and the Republic of Korea rely on different successful education models ...288
Figures
O.1 Four tensions are holding back education in MENA ............................5
O.2 MENA is stuck in a credentialist equilibrium .................................6
O.3 MENA students are more likely to be asked to memorize ........................7
O.4 Obedience plays a central role in children’s education in MENA ..................8
O.5 Teachers in MENA have less autonomy than teachers in OECD countries ..........10
O.6 Substantial time is devoted to religious education in MENA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
O.7 “Push, pull, and pact” offers a new framework for education in MENA ...........12
O.8 What matters for growth is skills ..........................................13
O.9 When adjusted for learning, the number of years of effective schooling in
MENA drops substantially ..............................................14
O.10 Preprimary enrollments are lower in MENA than in many other regions ...........17
O.11 Large differences in preprimary enrollment ratios are found across MENA .........17
O.12 The required working hours for teachers in MENA are well below those in
top-performing countries ................................................23
O.13 Teacher absenteeism is prevalent throughout MENA ..........................24
O.14 MENA has the biggest gaps in student achievement between top and
bottom performers .....................................................31
O.15 MENA has the largest gender gaps in test scores ..............................32