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Book contents
- Prioritizing Development
- Prioritizing Development
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Boxes
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Benefits and Costs of Air Pollution Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 2 Targets for Biodiversity and Deforestation
- Chapter 3 Benefits and Costs of the Climate Change Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 4 Beyond Civil War
- Chapter 5 Data Revolution
- Chapter 6 Benefits and Costs of the Education Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 7 Benefits and Costs of the Energy Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 8 Benefits and Costs of the IFF Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 9 Benefits and Costs of the Trade Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 10 Benefits and Costs of the Health Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 11 Benefits and Costs of the Noncommunicable Disease Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 12 Benefits and Costs of the Women’s Health Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 13 Benefits and Costs of TB Control for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 14 Benefits and Costs of the Infant Mortality Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 15 Benefits and Costs of the HIV/AIDS Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 16 Benefits and Costs of the Malaria Targets for the Post-2015 Consensus Project
- Chapter 17 Benefits and Costs of Digital Technology
- Chapter 18 Returns to Investment in Reducing Postharvest Food Losses and Increasing Agricultural Productivity Growth
- Chapter 19 Benefits and Costs of the Gender Equality Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 20 Benefits and Costs of the Food and Nutrition Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 21 Benefits and Costs of the Population and Demography Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 22 Benefits and Costs of Two Science and Technology Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 23 Global Benefits and Costs of Achieving Universal Coverage of Basic Water and Sanitation Services as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- Chapter 24 Benefits and Costs of the Poverty Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 25 Good Governance and the Sustainable Development Goals
- Conclusion
- Index
6 - Benefits and Costs of the Education Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 May 2018
- Prioritizing Development
- Prioritizing Development
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Boxes
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Benefits and Costs of Air Pollution Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 2 Targets for Biodiversity and Deforestation
- Chapter 3 Benefits and Costs of the Climate Change Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 4 Beyond Civil War
- Chapter 5 Data Revolution
- Chapter 6 Benefits and Costs of the Education Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 7 Benefits and Costs of the Energy Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 8 Benefits and Costs of the IFF Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 9 Benefits and Costs of the Trade Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 10 Benefits and Costs of the Health Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 11 Benefits and Costs of the Noncommunicable Disease Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 12 Benefits and Costs of the Women’s Health Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 13 Benefits and Costs of TB Control for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 14 Benefits and Costs of the Infant Mortality Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 15 Benefits and Costs of the HIV/AIDS Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 16 Benefits and Costs of the Malaria Targets for the Post-2015 Consensus Project
- Chapter 17 Benefits and Costs of Digital Technology
- Chapter 18 Returns to Investment in Reducing Postharvest Food Losses and Increasing Agricultural Productivity Growth
- Chapter 19 Benefits and Costs of the Gender Equality Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 20 Benefits and Costs of the Food and Nutrition Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 21 Benefits and Costs of the Population and Demography Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 22 Benefits and Costs of Two Science and Technology Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 23 Global Benefits and Costs of Achieving Universal Coverage of Basic Water and Sanitation Services as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- Chapter 24 Benefits and Costs of the Poverty Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 25 Good Governance and the Sustainable Development Goals
- Conclusion
- Index
Summary
Introduction
The Post-2015 MDG discourse has generated an omnibus of education goals and targets to be fulfilled by 2030. The aim of this chapter is to have a closer look at such targets and identify the most concrete and prominent ones that are amenable to cost-benefit analysis. Based on existing research, the targets are evaluated according to findings in the economics of education literature. A short list of education targets that are likely to be most cost-effective if reached by 2030 is prioritized.
Historical Perspective
There is a long history of international organizations setting numerical targets for education. As of today, none of these targets has been achieved. For example, in 1961 UNESCO convened a high-level conference of African states in Addis Ababa on the development of education in Africa (UNESCO, 1961a). A goal was set that by 1980 primary enrolment in Africa should be 100 percent, relative to 40 percent in 1960 (UNESCO, 1961b). Yet, by 1980 the net primary enrollment ratio in sub- Saharan Africa stood at 56 percent (UNESCO, 1993).
More recently, in 2011, theWorld Bank issued its education strategy for 2020 pledging learning for all, meaning that “all students … acquire the knowledge and skills they need to live happy, productive lives” (World Bank, 2011). Although the target year of this noble goal is six years away, one wonders how it would be achieved given the huge gaps in educational achievement documented in the recent Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD, 2013b) PISA report.
But setting never-fulfilled education targets is not only a phenomenon in developing countries. At the 2000 European Council in Lisbon, the Union set a goal that “the proportion of early school leavers should be no more than 10 percent by 2010” (European Commission, 2000). According to the latest Eurostat (2013) data, 14 percent of those ages 18 to 24 are early leavers from education and training, with at most a lower secondary education.
It is a pity that no lessons were learned from past grandiose but unrealistic education target settings in the current post-2015 MDG discourse (Clemens et al., 2007; Psacharopoulos, 1989).
Lack of finance is the most cited reason for failing to meet targets, calling for increased foreign aid (Global Campaign for Education, 2003; Oxfam, 2002).
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- Prioritizing DevelopmentA Cost Benefit Analysis of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, pp. 119 - 140Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2018