Efficiency, equity and girls' education

Abstract

This article analyses World Bank strategies for education in the context of gender equity. Developing countries face the challenge of expanding education with limited resources. At the same time, promoting gender equity is vital to achieving basic development goals. Appropriate governance strategies are needed to provide education in a way that is cost-effective and inclusive. Privatisation, decentralisation and citizen participation are three strategies that are promoted by the World Bank to control costs and improve transparency in education. Intended to promote efficiency, these strategies can harm equity. This study compares World Bank strategies to proven effective programs in girls' education. Empirical analysis reveals that while many World Bank projects include effective strategies for girls' education, governance reforms generally do not promote awareness of gender. Implications for expansion of girls' education are discussed.

Equity in Public Services: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Finally, several definitions refer to the trade‐off between equity and efficiency in studies on privatization, contracting out, decentralization, or New Public Management (NPM) reforms in general (e.g., Andrews, Beynon, and McDermott 2019; Bartolome, Charles, and Ross 2004; Jimenez 2016; Lincove 2006; Taylor 1994; Warner and Hefetz 2002). For Box (2007), equity (democratic value) and efficiency (bureaucratic value) are potentially conflicting.…”

Exploring social and psycho-social factors that might help explain the Afro-Caribbean boy underachievement in England

“…While the trend of boy underachievement is not surprising to industrialized nations, it is for nations classified as developing, because the focus in these countries is typically on equity for girls (Lincove, 2006). Jha and Kelleher (2006) informed us though that boy underachievement is a growing trend in all Commonwealth countries (developing or industrial) that have achieved universal basic education and high participation of both sexes in basic education.…”

Emerging Economies: Muddling Through to Development

“…In fact, it was observed by a UNESCO study (Epstein and Yuthas 2012) that the main problem with the education system in emerging economies is not the lack of enrollment but the high rates of dropouts especially at the secondary and tertiary levels, which is also causing a refocusing of educational efforts on continuing education and vocational education in developing countries (Saracevic et al 1985). Gender inequality in education is also a reason for dropouts from school in emerging economies-in many cultures girls are not educated beyond secondary level (Lincove 2006). Consequently, the next generation will also have a different orientation to education because of the low levels of education attained by the mothers.…”