Sri Lanka Sector Education Assessment Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Dundar, Millot, Riboud, Shojo, Aturupane, Goyal, and Raju Goyal, Aturupane, Millot, Riboud, Shojo, Dundar, DIRECTIONS IN DEVELOPMENT Human Development Sri Lanka Education Sector Public Disclosure Authorized Assessment Achievements, Challenges, and Policy Options Halil Dundar, Benoît Millot, Michelle Riboud, Mari Shojo, Harsha Aturupane, Sangeeta Goyal, and Dhushyanth Raju Public Disclosure Authorized Sri Lanka Education Sector Assessment DIRECTIONS IN DEVELOPMENT Human Development Sri Lanka Education Sector Assessment Achievements, Challenges, and Policy Options Halil Dundar, Benoît Millot, Michelle Riboud, Mari Shojo, Harsha Aturupane, Sangeeta Goyal, and Dhushyanth Raju © 2017 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 20 19 18 17 This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. 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Sri Lanka Education Sector Assessment • http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-1052-7 Contents Foreword xiii Acknowledgments xv About the Authors xvii Abbreviations xix Overview 1 Introduction 1 Performance of the Education Sector: A Mixed Success 2 Critical Issues by Level of Education 7 Crosscutting Issues 14 Strategic Priorities and Policy Actions 15 Conclusion 21 Notes 22 References 22 Chapter 1 Why a Comprehensive Assessment of Education Performance in Sri Lanka? 25 Introduction 25 The Economy and the Labor Market 26 Sri Lanka’s Education in the Global Context 28 The Government’s Education Reform Program 29 Approach, Methodology, and Data Sources 30 Note 34 References 34 Chapter 2 Systemwide Performance: Achievements and Challenges 37 Introduction 37 Overview of the Education and Training System in Sri Lanka 37 Schooling and Training Opportunities 39 The Quality and Relevance of Education and Training 49 Labor Market Outcomes 57 Trends in Sri Lanka’s Public Spending on Education 60 Summary 62 Sri Lanka Education Sector Assessment • http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-1052-7 v vi Contents Notes 62 References 63 Chapter 3 Early Childhood Development: A Missed Opportunity 65 Introduction 65 Overview of Early Childhood Development in Sri Lanka 66 Supply of Early Childhood Development Services 69 Lessons from International Experience 76 Conclusion and Policy Options 78 Notes 79 References 79 Chapter 4 Primary and Secondary Education: The Quality Challenge 81 Introduction 81 Education Offerings 82 Public School Teacher Management in Sri Lanka 84 Supporting and Monitoring Student Learning 96 Governance and Accountability 106 Cost and Financing of Schools in Sri Lanka 110 Conclusion and Policy Options 113 Notes 115 References 116 Chapter 5 Technical and Vocational Education and Training: The School-to-Work Transition 123 Introduction 123 The Workforce for a Middle-Income Sri Lanka 124 The TVET Sector: Organizational Structure and Shortcomings 131 Sri Lanka’s Skills Supply System: Areas for Potential Reform 136 Conclusion and Policy Options 144 Notes 145 References 145 Chapter 6 Higher Education: From Intakes to Outcomes 149 Introduction 149 Overview of the Higher Education Sector 149 Access to Higher Education 150 Performance: Inputs, Processes, Outputs, and Outcomes 160 Financial Resources 181 Stewarding the Higher Education Sector 191 Conclusion and Policy Options 195 Notes 198 References 201 Sri Lanka Education Sector Assessment • http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-1052-7 Contents vii Appendix A Sri Lanka Education Sector Assessment: Main Issues, Strategic Directions, and Policy Actions 203 Boxes 1.1 Skill Types 31 2.1 Characteristics of the Poor in Sri Lanka 47 3.1 Sri Lanka’s National Policy of Early Childhood Care and Education, 2004 68 3.2 Features of the Open Approach to Early Childhood Education Curricula 73 4.1 Examination Reforms in Other Economies 100 4.2 Using National Assessment Results 102 4.3 International Assessments and Education Reform 105 4.4 School Internal Quality Assurance in Scotland 108 4.5 Charter Schools and Effective School-Based Management 109 5.1 The Republic of Korea: How Economic Development Changed Investment in Skills 125 5.2 Why Educated Youth Are Unemployed 128 5.3 Industrial Sector Skills Councils 134 5.4 The Efficiency of Vouchers 140 5.5 Examples of Employer Involvement in Training 142 5.6 Benefits of Information Sharing 144 6.1 University of Moratuwa UNI Consultancy Services 178 Figures O.1 Sri Lanka’s Access to Education, by Level 3 O.2 Enrollment, Secondary and Higher Education, Sri Lanka and Selected Countries 4 O.3 Educational Attainment in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and the Republic of Korea 4 O.4 Enrollment Rates, Ratio of Richest to Poorest Quintile, 2006–12 5 O.5 Mean Scores in National Assessment for Grade 4, 2013 5 O.6 Mean Scores in National Assessment for Grade 8, 2012 6 O.7 Employer Perception of General Education, TVET, and University, 2013 7 O.8 Preschool Enrollment, an International Perspective 8 O.9 Inequality in Access to Preschool by Economic Group, 2012 8 O.10 Tertiary Education Outcomes, an International Perspective, 2012–13 13 O.11 Education Spending, 2007–12 14 O.12 Spending on Public Education, an International Perspective 15 1.1 Educational Attainment in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and the Republic of Korea, 1960–2010 29 1.2 Skills Formation across the Worker Life Cycle 32 Sri Lanka Education Sector Assessment • http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-1052-7 viii Contents 2.1 The Education and Training System in Sri Lanka 38 2.2 Sri Lankans Who Have Passed GCE O-Levels, by Age Group, 2002 and 2012 39 2.3 Student Flow in the Education and Training System, 2013–14 40 2.4 Gross Enrollment Rates, by Education Level, 2006–12 41 2.5 Net Enrollment Rates, by Education Level, 2006–13 41 2.6 Early Childhood Education Net Enrollment Rate, by GNI per Capita, Middle- and High-Income Countries 42 2.7 Enrollment in Secondary and Higher Education, Selected Countries, 2014 43 2.8 Enrollment Rates, by Gender 44 2.9 Access to Education, by Income Quintile 44 2.10 Enrollment, Ratio of Richest to Poorest Quintile 45 2.11 Access to Education, by Level and Location, 2012–13 46 2.12 Access to Education, by Level and Province, 2012–13 46 2.13 Completion