International Investment in Education for Development: Public Good or Economic Tool?

Is education a human right or a driver of economic development? How international organisations frame their strategies is determined to a great extent by their response to this question. This chapter argues that a sound education system is one that is rights-based and seeks to achieve social cohesio...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Alexandra Draxler
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institut de Hautes Études Internationales et du Développement 2014-11-01
Series:Revue Internationale de Politique de Développement
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/poldev/1772
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850164081740218368
author Alexandra Draxler
author_facet Alexandra Draxler
author_sort Alexandra Draxler
collection DOAJ
description Is education a human right or a driver of economic development? How international organisations frame their strategies is determined to a great extent by their response to this question. This chapter argues that a sound education system is one that is rights-based and seeks to achieve social cohesion, equality of access, and equity of opportunity. Efforts to generate economic returns from education to individuals and societies, while important, should not dominate development policies. As the post-2015 Development Agenda emerges, tensions between those who perceive education as a human right and those who see it as a tool of economic development are increasingly coming to the fore, notably due to growing influence and interest among international private entities, both foundations and corporations, in steering the agenda towards the development of market opportunities. The author argues that preserving the role of the state as the ultimate democratic arbiter of rights, equality, and equity is the only way, albeit imperfect, of guaranteeing education as a public good.
format Article
id doaj-art-204f9bb2d631466ca183914463b5e63b
institution OA Journals
issn 1663-9375
1663-9391
language English
publishDate 2014-11-01
publisher Institut de Hautes Études Internationales et du Développement
record_format Article
series Revue Internationale de Politique de Développement
spelling doaj-art-204f9bb2d631466ca183914463b5e63b2025-08-20T02:22:04ZengInstitut de Hautes Études Internationales et du DéveloppementRevue Internationale de Politique de Développement1663-93751663-93912014-11-01510.4000/poldev.1772International Investment in Education for Development: Public Good or Economic Tool?Alexandra DraxlerIs education a human right or a driver of economic development? How international organisations frame their strategies is determined to a great extent by their response to this question. This chapter argues that a sound education system is one that is rights-based and seeks to achieve social cohesion, equality of access, and equity of opportunity. Efforts to generate economic returns from education to individuals and societies, while important, should not dominate development policies. As the post-2015 Development Agenda emerges, tensions between those who perceive education as a human right and those who see it as a tool of economic development are increasingly coming to the fore, notably due to growing influence and interest among international private entities, both foundations and corporations, in steering the agenda towards the development of market opportunities. The author argues that preserving the role of the state as the ultimate democratic arbiter of rights, equality, and equity is the only way, albeit imperfect, of guaranteeing education as a public good.https://journals.openedition.org/poldev/1772official development assistance (ODA)international cooperationMillennium Development Goalsmultilateral cooperationbilateral cooperationeducation
spellingShingle Alexandra Draxler
International Investment in Education for Development: Public Good or Economic Tool?
Revue Internationale de Politique de Développement
official development assistance (ODA)
international cooperation
Millennium Development Goals
multilateral cooperation
bilateral cooperation
education
title International Investment in Education for Development: Public Good or Economic Tool?
title_full International Investment in Education for Development: Public Good or Economic Tool?
title_fullStr International Investment in Education for Development: Public Good or Economic Tool?
title_full_unstemmed International Investment in Education for Development: Public Good or Economic Tool?
title_short International Investment in Education for Development: Public Good or Economic Tool?
title_sort international investment in education for development public good or economic tool
topic official development assistance (ODA)
international cooperation
Millennium Development Goals
multilateral cooperation
bilateral cooperation
education
url https://journals.openedition.org/poldev/1772
work_keys_str_mv AT alexandradraxler internationalinvestmentineducationfordevelopmentpublicgoodoreconomictool