ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVES ON EDUCATIONAL POLICY: INTRODUCTION

In: Contemporary economic policy: a journal of Western Economic Association International, Volume 4, Issue 3, p. 50-50

Abstract

The two papers that follow both deal with prospects for achieving efficiency in education. Psacharopoulos identifies the extent of government‐induced distortions directly or indirectly related to education, and assesses the likely effects of such distortions on social welfare. He concludes that, among other things, governments should not attempt directly to provide or manage schooling services. Levin's article focuses upon one particular management decision…namely, extending the length of the school day and increasing the number of school days per year. He argues that mechanically increasing school sessions through legislative acts or through administrative mandates does not appear, in itself, to be a promising use of scarce resources.