Global Education Governance and Systems Change in Developing Contexts: International Organizations and Local Responses

Abstract

How do developing countries experience and respond to global forces in education? This paper offers a conceptual contribution in clarifying global education governance (GEG) and an empirical contribution in investigating the responses to non-financial forms of GEG in a developing country. In particular, the paper uses four case studies of GEG in the Philippines, with data collected from news articles, organizational websites, and 87 in-depth interviews. The paper provides conceptual clarity in understanding global education governance by noting the difference between financial and non-financial forms of GEG, and further, how these non-financial forms can be categorized as quantification, commensuration, and local adaptation of international organizations. In contrast to studies assuming the power of international organizations, the current paper challenges this assumption by showing that GEG led to few substantive changes because these international efforts focused on symbolic changes, provided little to no actionable directions, and failed to have compelling incentives for schools and education systems to adopt more substantive changes. This paper clarifies the processes and limits of GEG in developing countries, and outlines factors that contribute to changes in large education systems: clear directions, incentives, andlegitimacy to local stakeholders.