Economics of Education

[mindfactory]

Education economists analyze both what determines or creates education and what impact education has on individuals and the societies and economies in which they live. Historically at the World Bank a great deal of emphasis has been placed on determining outcomes to educational investment and the creation of human capital. The primary mission of the economics of education group is to identify opportunities for improved efficiency, equity, and quality of education and promote effective education reform processes; to help improve, among both World Bank staff and clients, knowledge of what drives education outcomes and results; to better understanding how to strengthen the links of education systems with the labor market; and to build and support a network of education economists and build bridges to all those who are interested in their work.

Namibians should invest in true potential to reduce future poverty. Again, this is just a suggestion and not a "force-upon-everybody" issue.

[juikk]

New vocab to me: Education Economists....are they primarily employed by government, or are there various private concerns that deal with this and work hand in hand with the NQA, or are they a group indivduals from various backgrounds ,forming a society? interesting and essential it sounds

[Pietro]

Do these economists make education cheaper??? If yes, let them come in droves!!!!!!!!

[Davon]

I think the magic words for our nation should be ‘knowledge economy’. If we know that we have trouble with climate, infrastructure and finance, then surely the way forward would be to invest in (higher) education?

Bringing in top grade foreign professors to teach at our university would be a great way to give our students the best education possible (assuming we give them the freedom to modify the educational structure where they see fit). If we could also make entrepreneurship a compulsory subject at high school level to encourage people to start developing their own businesses or at least give them an insight into how to. I think we would be less dependant on our neighbours and more able to stand on our won two legs.

[mindfactory]

"juikk New vocab to me: Education Economists...." In 1996 we used to call them Physical Planning Officers at UNAM. They were responsible to provide advice to the Vice-Chancellor with respect to the physical development of UNAM.

Review sites proposed by the Building Advisory Committees or other committees for planned facilities, and advise the Vice-Chancellor in regard to conformance with approved plans and concepts.

Review and advise the Vice-Chancellor with respect to long range physical planning issues and planning studies (student staff ratio's, implementing of new subject matters, diverse subject development, ect.).

Comment to the Design Review Board regarding designs of buildings and major landscape projects.

Monitor developments in the surrounding community and evaluate potential impacts on the University to ensure that campus interests including nearby housing, retail services, open spaces and parks, pedestrian and vehicular access and mass transit needs, are adequately considered.


In addition to the things listed above, the Planning Office also cares for:

• Student data analysis

• Graduation rates

• Retention

• Repeat rates

• Enrolment forecasts

• 'What-if' scenarios

• Trend analysis

• Organizational data

• Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) analysis

• Program reviews

• Physical space planning

• . . . and much more!

Is this not Economics of Education or what can we call this?

I think Strategic Planning and Institutional Research were the name of the department at UNAM, under which W.Richard Jacobs (Director), Pieter van Wyk, Johan L.M. van Wyk and Charles Kasumba (Physical Planning Officers), were performing tasks under extreme stress.

How the time past by, almost long forgotten. Thanks juikk, you brought back golden memoirs.