SOUTH ASIA DEVELOPMENT FORUM Ready to Learn Before School, In School, and Beyond School in South Asia Tara Béteille, Namrata Tognatta, Michelle Riboud, Shinsaku Nomura, and Yashodhan Ghorpade Ready to Learn SOUTH ASIA DEVELOPMENT FORUM Ready to Learn Before School, In School, and Beyond School in South Asia TARA BÉTEILLE, NAMRATA TOGNATTA, MICHELLE RIBOUD, SHINSAKU NOMURA, AND YASHODHAN GHORPADE © 2020 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org Some rights reserved 1 2 3 4 23 22 21 20 This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. 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ISBN (paper): 978-1-4648-1327-6 ISBN (electronic): 978-1-4648-1339-9 DOI: 10.1596/978-1-4648-1327-6 Cover image: Bill Pragluski, Critical Stages, LLC Cover design: Bill Pragluski, Critical Stages, LLC Library of Congress Control Number: 2020901025 South Asia Development Forum Home to a fifth of mankind, and to almost half of the people living in poverty, South Asia is also a region of marked contrasts: from conflict-affected areas to vibrant democracies, from demographic bulges to aging societies, from energy crises to global companies. This series explores the challenges faced by a region whose fate is critical to the success of global development in the early 21st century, and that can also make a difference for global peace. The volumes in it organize in an accessible way findings from recent research and lessons of experience, across a range of development topics. The series is intended to present new ideas and to stimulate debate among prac titioners, research- ers, and all those interested in public policies. In doing so, it exposes the options faced by decision makers in the region and highlights the enormous potential of this fast- changing part of the world. v Contents Foreword xix Acknowledgments xxi About the Authors xxiii Abbreviations xxv Overview 1 Celebrating South Asia’s Successes 3 Outlining South Asia’s Challenges 6 How Can South Asia Do Better? Overarching Principles 13 From Principles to Action: Sector-Specific Recommendations 19 Outline of the Report 22 Notes 23 References 23 PART I: EDUCATION IN THE SOUTH ASIAN CONTEXT 25 Chapter 1 Is South Asia’s Education System Preparing Young People to Succeed? 27 Access to Education Has Improved Considerably 28 Student Learning Outcomes in School Are Weak, but Learning Assessments Need Improvement to Pinpoint Why 38 A Certificate, Diploma, or Graduate Degree May Not Bestow Much-Needed Skills 46 What Factors Explain Low Learning Levels? 49 vii viii l READY TO LEARN How Can South Asia Do Better on Access and Measuring Outcomes? 50 Notes 52 References 53 Spotlight 1 Access to Basic Education in Afghanistan and Bangladesh 55 Gender Gap 55 Government Efforts to Expand Access to Education 56 Challenges: Equity, Quality, and Monitoring 58 Notes 60 References 60 Chapter 2 Public Financing of Education in South Asia 61 The Structure of Public Financing in South Asia 62 Are South Asian Countries Spending Adequately on Education and Skills? 63 Education Spending by Functional Classification 67 Is Education Spending in South Asia Efficient? 71 Equity of Public Spending on Education in South Asia 73 How Can South Asia Do Better on Public Finance? 75 Notes 76 References 76 Spotlight 2 Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Education 79 Factors Contributing to the Successful Integration of Technology 79 Realizing the Potential of Technology Tools in Education 83 References 83 PART II: EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH ASIA 85 Chapter 3 Investing in Early Childhood Development in South Asia Is Crucial 87 Early Childhood Development in South Asia 88 Policy Environment and Service Delivery Models of Early Childhood Development in South Asia 90 Early Childhood Development from Birth to Preschool 92 Nutrition and Health Interventions 98 Responsive Parenting, Early Stimulation, and Parental Knowledge 98 CONTENTS l ix Preprimary Education 101 Quality of Preprimary Education in South Asia 103 How Can South Asia Do Better on Early Childhood Development? 107 Notes 109 References 110 PART III: IMPROVING TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS IN SOUTH ASIA 115 Chapter 4 South Asia Has Too Few Effective Teachers 117 Why Teachers Matter, and What Do Effective Teachers Do? 118 Teachers in South Asia Have Inadequate Conceptual and Teaching Skills 119 Weak Professional Norms Make Teaching a Second-Class Profession 122 Note 128 References 128 Chapter 5 Managing the Quality of Teaching in South Asia Has Been Difficult 131 The Dramatic Expansion in Schooling Has Been Accompanied by a Large Expansion in the Teaching Workforce in Many Countries 132 Rapid Schooling Expansion Increased the Supply of Qualified Teachers but Not the Quality of Teachers 138 Salaries and Benefits Are Good, but Only for Some Teachers, and Are Not Tied to Performance 143 Notes 150 References 150 Chapter 6 Are South Asia’s Teachers Prepared to Teach? Pre-Service and In-Service Training 153 A Rapid Increase in Pre-Service Programs of Inadequate Quality, with Few Links to Universities and Research 154 Weak Governance of Pre-Service Education Programs Underlies Poor Quality 160 In-Service Professional Development Programs Could Compensate for Some of the Deficits of Pre-Service Training But Suffer from Their Own Shortcomings 161 Notes 166 References 166 x l READY TO LEARN Chapter 7 School Principals Find It Difficult to Support Teachers 169 Principals Can Play a Key Role in Improving School Outcomes 169 Who Are South Asia’s Principals? 171 Principals in South Asia Multitask, Leaving Little Time to Support Teachers 175 Private School Principals Differ from Public School Principals in Some Respects, But Outcomes Are Not Much Better 182 Notes 185 References 185 Chapter 8 How Can South Asia Do Better on Teacher Policy and Practice? 187 Make Teaching an Attractive Profession 187 Manage the Teacher System Carefully 189 Prepare Teachers before They Enter the Classroom 192 Mentor Teachers and Upgrade Their Skills Throughout Their Career 193 Strengthen School Leadership 195 Notes 196 References 196 Spotlight 3 Leveraging Private Schools in South Asia 203 Notes 208 References 208 PART IV: SKILLS FOR JOBS IN SOUTH ASIA 211 Chapter 9 Growing Interest in Skills Development in South Asia 215 The Main Features of Skills Development Systems in South Asia 216 Reasons for the Growing Interest in Skills Development in South Asia 220 Notes 224 References 225 Spotlight 4 Twenty-First-Century Skills: A Shift in Learning Goals in South Asia? 229 Note 231 References 231 CONTENTS l xi Chapter 10 Skills Development Strategies Are Promising,