Education and Health for Inclusiveness

IMF Working Papers, March 5, 2021

Source details

Discusses existing shortfalls and inequalities in the accumulation of human capital—knowledge, skills, and health.
Analyzes immediate and systemic causes of these shortfalls and inequalities.
Assesses the scope for public intervention.
Broad policy goals identified:
- Improve the quality, and not just the quantity, of education and health care.
- Improve outcomes for disadvantaged groups.
- Improve lifelong outcomes.
Means to achieve goals while maximizing value for money:
- Focus on results rather than just inputs.
- Move from piecemeal interventions to systemic reform.
- Adopt a “whole-of-society” approach.
Reforms must be underpinned by a robust evidence base.

Existing shortfalls and inequalities exist in the accumulation of human capital—knowledge, skills, and health.
Disadvantaged groups face worse outcomes in education and health accumulation.

The paper analyzes both immediate and systemic causes of deficits in education and health accumulation (no further granular cause listings provided on the landing page).

Quality improvement: prioritize quality of education and health care, not only quantity.
Equity: improve outcomes for disadvantaged groups.
Lifelong perspective: improve lifelong outcomes across the life cycle.

Subject: Education, Health, Health care, Human capital, Labor, Labor force
Keywords: basic education, complement teacher training, computer-assisted learning, Education, Global, good health, Health, Health care, health outcome, Human capital, Inclusive Growth, Inclusive Growth., Labor force, primary care, secondary education, transfer program, WP