What is needed to progress the aims of primary and secondary school education in the developing world is an anthropological approach, complete with the same expert intervention, analysis and diagnostics that have been recommended for programs in the health field, as well as with macro-level economic policy.
The tools currently exist to improve schooling outcomes; what is needed now is diagnostics to see where exactly the stumbling points lie (as these are extremely context specific), which needs to be undertaken through a participative, anthropological, diagnostic approach. Innovation has been occurring in this area, through the proliferation of educational randomized control trials; however, these trials are not firmly embedded and do not become entrenched or scales once completed. Shining the light is very important; actually implementing change, scaling change, and sustaining change is another matter all together.
Change is possible. As Banerjee and Duflo state in their masterpiece, "Poor Economics," "...concrete, measurable programs can be implemented to improve the lives of the poor, even in areas with poor institutions."
The tools currently exist to improve schooling outcomes; what is needed now is diagnostics to see where exactly the stumbling points lie (as these are extremely context specific), which needs to be undertaken through a participative, anthropological, diagnostic approach. Innovation has been occurring in this area, through the proliferation of educational randomized control trials; however, these trials are not firmly embedded and do not become entrenched or scales once completed. Shining the light is very important; actually implementing change, scaling change, and sustaining change is another matter all together.
Change is possible. As Banerjee and Duflo state in their masterpiece, "Poor Economics," "...concrete, measurable programs can be implemented to improve the lives of the poor, even in areas with poor institutions."
