Making Education Work: Latin American Ideas and Asian Results
By Claudio de Moura Castro, Aimee Verdisco (12/02, En, Es) See also Education, Training and Science & Technology
Latin America and Asia are strikingly different in almost every way, usually falling on opposite ends of the scale regardless of the criteria being considered. Latin America is relatively homogenous in terms of language, culture and history; Asia is completely heterogeneous. Latin America generally looks north and west to solve its problems; Asia peers within. Despite the clear differences, several similarities exist. Both regions face the challenges of promoting growth and equity, reducing poverty, and mitigating the effects of economic downturns and global recession. And in education in particular, both have given considerable importance to educational systems and reform, although their approaches and results have varied. Each is concerned with improving the quality of the educational services they deliver, often within the sluggish and sclerotic systems inherited from administrations past. Progress along many fronts has been made, although challenges, some serious, remain.
It was the opportunity to debate and share some of these experiences that brought together eminent educators from Asia and Latin America in Okinawa, Japan in June 1999. In itself, the idea of the seminar was innovative simply because of the low frequency of exchange between the two regions. By providing the conditions for dialogue, the meeting offered new insight into the direction and scope of education reform. The material that comprises this book was presented at that seminar.
As the discussions in
Okinawa evolved, a common pattern emerged: a contrast between performance and
innovation. A bloc of East Asian countries comprising Japan, the Republic of Korea,
Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong are educational superstars. The Latin American
countries, by contrast, rank as mediocre to poor performers. Yet they shine
brightly where the high performers of Asia do not?in education innovation. In
other words, the best performing countries are not innovative and the most
innovative countries are poor performers. This book builds upon the discussion
that began at Okinawa. Time has provided the perspective necessary to contextualize
each presentation and to place each within a format conducive to cross-regional
comparison and generalization. Such hindsight has lent clarity to thought and
vision, affording some issues a higher profile while taking others in different
directions or adding new twists.
To request a copy of this book, please contact the IDB's Publications Section.
Last updated: 05/08/07
