N O R R A G N E W S
NETWORK FOR POLICY RESEARCH REVIEW AND ADVICE
ON EDUCATION AND TRAINING (NORRAG)
NUMBER 37 May 2006
SPECIAL THEME ON
EDUCATION AND TRAINING OUT OF
POVERTY?
A STATUS REPORT
[Free on website:www.norrag.org
from May 2006]
Editor
Kenneth King
Editoria l Address
Kenneth King, Centre of Afr ican Studies, 21 George Square, University of
Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9LD, Scotland UK
Telephone (44) 0131 650 3878; Fax: (44) 0131 650 6535
Emails: Kenneth.King@ed.ac.uk or P.King@ed.ac.uk
Co-ordination Address
Michel Carton, Inst itut Universitaire d'Etudes du Développement (IUED),
Post Box 136, Rue Rothschild 24, 1211 Geneva 21, Switzerland.
Telephone: (41) 22 906 5900/1; Fax: (41) 22 906 5994
Email: Michel.Carton@iued.unige.ch
NORRAG NEWS NO 37
EDUCATING AND TRAINING OUT OF POVERTY?
A STATUS REPORT
There has been a widespread interest in the international community in the potential
for education and training initiatives to assist in breaking the cycle of poverty. This
aspiration lies behind the Millennium Development Goals, as well as the Education for
All agenda. Education is often included, for similar reasons, in the Poverty Reduction
Strategy Papers. Of course, a great deal depends on what kind of access the poor
get to education and training systems, and what quality they find there, and what
they can do in the labour market as a result. The poor don’t need a great deal of
research to tell them about the value of 5 years of poor quality education, nor about
the labour market potential of an under-funded community skills training centre, with
absentee instructors. But what of the successes? Has education played a role in Asia
– and especially China – in moving so many millions out of poverty? Where has skills
development succeeded in moving young people from poverty? What other political
or economic conditions need to be in place for education and training to be
effective?
LIST OF CONTENT