Education at a Glance 2007

Abstract

Governments are paying increasing attention to international comparisons as they search for effective policies that enhance individuals ’ social and economic prospects, provide incentives for greater efficiency in schooling and help to mobilise resources to meet rising demands. As part of its response, the OECD Directorate for Education devotes a major effort to the development and analysis of the quantitative, internationally comparable indicators that it publishes annually in Education at a Glance. These indicators enable governments to see their education systems in the light of other countries ’ performances and, together with OECD’s country policy reviews, are designed to support and review the efforts that governments are making towards policy reform. Education at a Glance addresses the needs of a range of users, from governments seeking to learn policy lessons and academics requiring data for further analysis to the general public wanting to monitor how its nation’s schools are progressing in producing world-class students. The publication examines the quality of learning outcomes, the policy levers and contextual factors that shape these outcomes, and the broader private and social returns that accrue to investments in education. Education at a Glance is the product of a long-standing, collaborative effort between OECD governments, the experts and institutions working within the framework of OECD’s indicators of education systems (INES) programme and the OECD Secretariat. The publication was drafted by the Indicators and Analysis