Children's experiences during early childhood are critical for their cognitive and socio-emotional development, two key dimensions of human capital. However, children from low income backgrounds often grow up lacking stimulation and basic investments, leading to developmental deficits that are difficult, if not impossible, to reverse later in life…

Despite evidence for the substantial benefits of school readiness among children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), most lack access to any pre-primary education at all, let alone high-quality preprimary education. In this article, we discuss obstacles and example of solutions to providing universal access to "high-quality"…

The contribution of university education to sustainable development of society has become one of the most important activities of higher education institutions. After 55 years of independence, it is time to take a critical look at the role of university education in nation building in Kenya. Since independence, access and difficulties of…

This paper proposes relative change theory as an alternative to the common theories used in examining education sector development in the developing regions of the world. The theory specifically seeks to explain the persisting limited impact of development aid efforts. It departs from the Marxist informed dependency and world-systems approach in…

Early identification and intervention for children with disabilities can significantly improve longer term outcomes, but in developing nations like many in the Pacific Rim, such programs and practices can be expensive and must compete against other needs. We argue that early identification and intervention by schools leads not only to life…

Certificates, diplomas and titles are commonly known as qualifications. Their purpose is to show employers, training providers, and individuals what the person holding the qualification has learned and can do. Every country issues many different qualifications, but for the European labor market to work as intended--that is for European citizens to…

A global revolution has been taking place in higher education during the past half-century. In the educators' view, four fundamental and interrelated forces have impelled the current academic revolution: the "massification" of higher education, globalization, the advent of the knowledge society and the importance of research universities…

Faced with accelerating poverty, the Malawi government has re-awakened its commitment to the development of human capacity and the role of development in this context. This paper explores the relationship between development and science and technology. It goes on to review the country's science and technology needs and how these justify taking…

Longer life expectancy should encourage human capital accumulation, since a longer time horizon increases the value of investments that pay out over time. Previous work has been unable to determine the empirical importance of this life-expectancy effect due to the difficulty of isolating it from other effects of health on education. We examine a…

The dilemma of providing effective education particularly in developing countries with limited resources and ambiguous calculations of rates of return due to unstable economies and labour market fluctuations makes it an absolute necessity to consider costs and benefits associated both with academic and vocational education. Through argumentation…

In response to the experience of the 1990s, the international community has adopted a set of international development goals for reductions in income poverty and improvements in human development indicators. The report states that attacking poverty in low- and middle-income countries is the greatest single challenge facing the global development…

Throughout the developing world, there is a debilitating lack of connection between tertiary education and economic growth. As a result, many tertiary institutions fail to address the particular human capital needs of the productive sector, thereby constraining economic growth, productivity and innovation. Existing employment opportunities go…

Introduces several articles that focus on human capital and social cohesion (e.g., effects of learning on economic and social development and the debate over education and social cohesion) and multilateral development banks and religious organizations (e.g., how the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund influence education in developing…

Worsening economic conditions, reflected in mounting external debt, debt service, and structural adjustment processes have forced governments to reveal their expenditure priorities, which are largely against human capital investment activities like education. This paper examines this phenomenon, using cross-country data for Sub-Saharan Africa.…

This document provides an annual report and financial review of the Bernard van Leer Foundation, a private institution created in 1949 for broad humanitarian purposes. Following an introduction by the chairman of the Foundation's board of trustees, a report of the executive director details the first full-year of implementation of the Foundation's…