New Zealand education retooling needs long-term push

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Education System ◽  
Foreign Students ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Teacher Shortages ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reform Plan ◽  
International Comparative

Subject Education and skills policy in New Zealand. Significance Teacher unrest including strikes, the next possible tranche in February 2019, have added urgency to the government's education system revamp for pre-school to universities to ready students for a changing workplace that is demanding different skillsets. Impacts Teacher shortages will make it harder to tackle falls in children's international comparative achievement rankings. Fewer foreign students will mean compounding tertiary education funding shortfalls. The government's education reform plan implies substantial funding increases, posing fiscal issues for the early 2020s.

Mexico education system is unlikely to improve

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Education Reform ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Education System ◽  
Access To Education ◽  
Education Spending ◽  
Budget Cuts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Democratic Nation ◽  
Latin American And Caribbean

Subject Education reform. Significance The 2020 meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States was held in Mexico City on January 8. As one of its speakers, Education Minister Esteban Moctezuma highlighted the role that Mexico’s reformed education system would play in building a more inclusive, productive and democratic nation. According to Moctezuma, the changes will see Mexico reduce gaps in access to education to abate inequality, eradicate discrimination and form law-abiding citizens. Impacts Budget cuts -- including in areas that are supposed to be sector priorities -- will hinder the reform’s implementation. Most education spending will continue to go to salaries, leaving little to invest in improving teaching and school infrastructure. A lack of long-term strategy will leave education susceptible to changes under future administrations, perpetuating instability.

scholarly journals Accountability reporting objectives of Māori organizations

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 433-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell Craig ◽  
Rawiri Taonui ◽  
Susan Wild ◽  
Lũcia Lima Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Core Values ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Activities ◽  
The Core ◽  
Regional Associations

Purpose This paper aims to highlight the accountability reporting objectives of four Māori-controlled organizations. The examples cited reflect the core values of the indigenous Māori people of New Zealand (Aotearoa) and help demonstrate how these values are manifest in the accountability reporting of Māori-controlled organizations. Design/methodology/approach Narrative sections of ten annual reports of two small and two large Maori organizations, drawn variously from their financial years ending in the calendar years 2009 to 2014, are read closely. These organizations represent diverse tribal and regional associations in terms of size, scope and structure; and in terms of the business, social and cultural activities they pursue. Findings Three core Māori values are identified: spirituality (wairuatanga); intergenerationalism and restoration (whakapapa); and governance, leadership and respect (mana and rangatiratanga). The commitment to these values and the way this commitment is reflected in accountability reports of Maori organizations, is presented. Originality/value The examples provided, and the associated discussion, should help inform reporting initiatives of organizations that are seeking better accountability in terms of their long-term engagement with indigenous communities, the environment and broader society.

scholarly journals Countryís Competitiveness and Sustainability in the Context of the Higher Education System Reforms

2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elita Jermolajeva ◽  
Ludmila Aleksejeva
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Education System ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Middle Term ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
National Economic ◽  
Quantitative Indicators

Abstract The accumulation of knowledge and its use have become important factors that promote economic development as they contribute to a countryís competitiveness in the global economy. The basic significance of research is obtained by defining new approaches in the organisation, function and efficiency of the higher education system (HES) by emphasising its qualitative aspects. The aim of the article is to describe the influence of education reform on economic competitiveness, paying a special attention to analysing and evaluating international experiences from an interdisciplinary perspective, including economics, pedagogy, etc. Quantitative indicators are used to characterise specific features of the HES and the interaction of this system in the overall context of state development. Some aspects of the Latvian HES are also analysed. The economic activity of inhabitants often directly depends on their level of education. In order to reorganise the Latvian HES and increase its competitiveness and efficiency, thus ensuring quality and availability, the Latvian education system must define a middle-term (4ñ5 years) and long-term (10ñ15 years) development plan that is coordinated with national economic development.

Overeducation, persistence and unemployment in Spanish labour market

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuria Sánchez-Sánchez ◽  
Adolfo Cosme Fernández Puente
Keyword(s):  
Education Reform ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
The United States ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Unemployment Rates ◽  
High Elasticity ◽  
The One ◽  
Term Labour

PurposeThe phenomenon of overeducation and the magnitude and persistence of the imbalance impact are analysed for the Spanish labour market from 2006 to 2013.Design/methodology/approachThe authors present random-effects probit estimations comparing individuals and their short-term and long-term labour mismatches.FindingsThe results support the existence of long-term persistence (status in the previous year) and short-term persistence (status at the beginning of the observed period) in overeducation. Precariousness in the labour market, measured by temporality or by the strong destruction of employment, could force individuals to choose a job below their qualification. Additionally, the phenomenon of overeducation is shown to have increased in the period 2010–2013 in relation to the period 2006–2009 independently of the region considered, though those regions with higher unemployment rates display greater imbalances.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the results come from two different samples, it is possible to conclude that overeducation is a phenomenon that tends to perpetuate over time in Spain.Practical implicationsOne of the issues of greatest interest that is crucial to assess the relevance of the spreading of overeducation is whether overeducation can be considered as a temporal mismatch, in which case the seriousness of the problem would not be so important, or, on the contrary, as a persistent one, in which case, governments should take it into account in their education reform programmes.Originality/valueOvereducation persistence has been studied in countries such as the United States, Canada, Switzerland or Germany; however, in Spain, there are hardly any studies. Spanish labour market has certain specificities that make the analyses relevant: the high unemployment rates and high elasticity of employment with respect to the economic cycles. Under these circumstances, workers could opt for more stable positions that require a lower qualification than the one they have. This option could be even more convenient during crisis. Additionally, the article includes a disaggregated analysis by Spanish regions. The differences in the unemployment rates within and between regions are significant (some of them had at the beginning of the crisis an unemployment rate close to 7%, while in others it exceeded 12%) which allows the authors to study the phenomenon in different contexts.

scholarly journals Winning the global talent war

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
William S. Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Environment ◽  
National Level ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Green Card ◽  
Cultural Roots ◽  
Talent Strategy ◽  
Recent Reform ◽  
International Comparative

Purpose – The purpose of this article was to discuss the phenomenon of international talent mobility and competition in relation to China's engagement in the “talent war” for attracting, retaining and managing global talents, from a policy perspective. Design/methodology/approach – The author adopts an approach combining literature review and international comparative analysis. Findings – Factors explaining global talent mobility have been predominantly economic. This paper argues that China should also focus on other critical non-economic aspects for attracting and retaining talents in the long-term. The Chinese Government may learn from the experience of other competing countries in developing a national strategy for attracting and retaining global talents. While China has an advantage in attracting overseas Chinese who are attached to its cultural roots and are other competing countries' residents or citizens, its existing talent policy may not be able to create effective local and institutional environment in attracting and retaining needed talents. Practical implications – An attractive policy is key to winning the global talent war and determining the future development path of a nation. The talent policy at a national level should address not only economic factors but also personal, professional and institutional factors. Originality/value – Winning the global talent war is a policy competition among countries. The Chinese Government may succeed in the war for talent by adopting a multi-pronged, multi-level and long-term talent strategy. This paper calls for China to reconsider its recent reform on permanent residence (green card) policy reform from a global talent competition perspective.

scholarly journals New Zealand White Rabbits Effectively ClearBorrelia burgdorferiB31 despite the Bacterium’s FunctionalvlsEAntigenic Variation System

2019 ◽  
Vol 87 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maliha Batool ◽  
Andrew E. Hillhouse ◽  
Yurij Ionov ◽  
Kelli J. Kochan ◽  
Fatemeh Mohebbi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Persistent Infection ◽  
Antigenic Variation ◽  
Surface Expression ◽  
The United States ◽  
Antimicrobial Treatment ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Highly Evolved

ABSTRACTBorrelia burgdorferiis a tick-borne bacterium responsible for approximately 300,000 annual cases of Lyme disease (LD) in the United States, with increasing incidences in other parts of the world. The debilitating nature of LD is mainly attributed to the ability ofB. burgdorferito persist in patients for many years despite strong anti-Borreliaantibody responses. Antimicrobial treatment of persistent infection is challenging. Similar to infection of humans,B. burgdorferiestablishes long-term infection in various experimental animal models except for New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits, which clear the spirochete within 4 to 12 weeks. LD spirochetes have a highly evolved antigenic variationvlssystem, on the lp28-1 plasmid, where gene conversion results in surface expression of the antigenically variable VlsE protein. VlsE is required forB. burgdorferito establish persistent infection by continually evading otherwise potent antibodies. Since the clearance ofB. burgdorferiis mediated by humoral immunity in NZW rabbits, the previously reported results that LD spirochetes lose lp28-1 during rabbit infection could potentially explain the failure ofB. burgdorferito persist. However, the present study unequivocally disproves that previous finding by demonstrating that LD spirochetes retain thevlssystem. However, despite thevlssystem being fully functional, the spirochete fails to evade anti-Borreliaantibodies of NZW rabbits. In addition to being protective against homologous and heterologous challenges, the rabbit antibodies significantly ameliorate LD-induced arthritis in persistently infected mice. Overall, the current data indicate that NZW rabbits develop a protective antibody repertoire, whose specificities, once defined, will identify potential candidates for a much-anticipated LD vaccine.

scholarly journals Burning the buffer: New Zealand's budgetary response to COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Ball
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Balance Sheet ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Net Worth ◽  
Fiscal Impacts ◽  
Financial Management System ◽  
The Global Financial Crisis

PurposeThe New Zealand Government has progressively strengthened its balance sheet position since the mid-1990s, other than for the four years immediately following the global financial crisis and the Canterbury earthquakes. This paper describes the nature and the forecast and actual fiscal impacts of the COVID-19 response, and identifies the transparency mechanisms which reveal these impacts. It also expresses a viewpoint on the implications of the COVID-19 response for the future resilience of the Government's fiscal position.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on the suite of official budgetary documents to demonstrate both the transparency of the disclosures on the COVID-19 impact and the substance of the forecast and actual fiscal impacts.FindingsThe paper reveals the change in the long-term fiscal aspirations of the New Zealand Government from one of achieving and maintaining a significant net worth buffer, to one which accommodates in the long-term a markedly smaller buffer and lower level of net worth.Originality/valueThe public financial management system in New Zealand is notable for its transparency. The Government's response to the pandemic is used to illustrate the nature and extent of that transparency.

Kuwait's politics will stall economic reforms

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Extended Period ◽  
Economic Reforms ◽  
Small Population ◽  
Fiscal Sustainability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reform Plan ◽  
Capital Spending ◽  
The Government ◽  
International Assets

Significance With huge financial reserves, low public debt and a small population, Kuwait is one of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states best equipped to ride out an extended period of low oil prices. However, with the country registering its first budget deficit in 16 years, concerns about Kuwait's long-term fiscal sustainability have become more pressing, and the government has introduced a reform plan aimed at restructuring the economy. Impacts The government will step up capital spending, launching as many projects as possible before the 2017 election. The private sector is likely to face increased financial costs, eg, corporate taxes, higher utilities charges and employment of nationals. Kuwait will become further integrated into the international bond market, and rely more on its international assets as a source of income. Political tensions could rise ahead of the 2017 poll if the government takes more measures to reduce opposition electoral prospects. Kuwait will lag behind other GCC states in its progress on economic reforms.

scholarly journals Vision for Tertiary Education Under Free Market Policies: A Comparative Analysis of Contemporary Tertiary Education Policy of Zambia and New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Allan Kalapa Mbita
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Education Policy ◽  
Education System ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Free Market ◽  
Competitive Market ◽  
Market Model ◽  
Social Sector ◽  
Market Mechanisms ◽  
Economic Theories

<p>In the past two decades economic theories of the 'market' have permeated economic and social sector policies of both developed and developing countries. Market mechanisms have become the main policy option upon which economic and social sector reforms, including tertiary education, have been premised. In this study I have compared trends in contemporary tertiary education policy of two countries: Zambia and New Zealand. Prior to 1980 in both countries education was predominantly a public monopoly and free at all levels. However, in the late 1980s and early 1990s New Zealand and Zambia respectively embarked on radical economic and social sector reforms based on the competitive market model. I have argued that market mechanisms in education policy of both Zambia and New Zealand had their origins in economic theories of the competitive market. These theories gained popularity at a time when countries were going through unprecedented economic difficulties. Thus, although on the surface competitive market policies would seem to suggest that the aim of government was to improve efficiency and accountability and to increase equity and equality of opportunities in tertiary institutions, under conditions of increasing demand on declining public resources and at a time when demand for tertiary education was increasing, it would appear that the long-term intentions of governments in both countries were to reduce public appropriation to tertiary education by transferring part of the responsibility of funding education to institutions themselves and to the beneficiaries of tertiary education. I have also argued that because New Zealand already had a prolific education system in place and a comprehensive student support system it was in a better position to operate its tertiary education system along free market lines. An under-developed tertiary education sector and lack of comprehensive student-aid packages in Zambia have meant that the implementation of market-oriented policies in tertiary education are likely to impact more negatively on the students, education institutions and Zambian society in general.</p>

scholarly journals From Content Knowledge to Competencies and Exams to Exit Profiles: Education Reform in Zimbabwe

2020 ◽  
pp. 145-169
Author(s):  
Djénéba Gory ◽  
Jayanti Bhatia ◽  
Venkatesh Reddy Mallapu Reddy
Keyword(s):  
Education Reform ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Education System ◽  
First Century ◽  
Theory Of Change ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Stable Conditions ◽  
The World ◽  
Competency Based

Abstract For over two decades, Zimbabwe has been embroiled within a complex web of economic, political, and financial challenges. In 2013, the country embarked on an ambitious journey of overhauling its education system by moving from content knowledge to a competency-based curriculum. The theory of change, in particular, was that, if the curriculum is entirely overhauled from outdated knowledge-based to twenty-first-century skills and competencies, then in the long-term, students would ultimately be able to meet the economy and labor market demands. The reform was phased from 2015 to 2022 and at the time of writing is in its last leg of implementation; there is much to appreciate and learn from the progress thus far. The chapter begins with an overview of the country’s education system and conditions that shaped the reform, followed by a more detailed description of the reform. It then analyzes the reform stages through Reimers’ five perspectives of educational change (Reimers, Educating students to improve the world. Springer, Singapore, 2020), and concludes by presenting the results and challenges at the time of writing. The success of such reform requires a systemic collaboration and stable conditions, and at this stage, it remains to be seen, which direction the reform takes.

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