Higher education in Asian countries and the role of international ...
Higher education in Asian countries and the role of international ...
Higher education in Asian countries and the role of international ...
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Development (DESD) <strong>in</strong> 2005, UNESCO World <strong>Higher</strong> Education Conference <strong>in</strong> 2009,<br />
UNESCO Global Forum on University Rank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> Accountability <strong>in</strong> 2011 <strong>and</strong> many o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
events are a series <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>itiatives that are contribut<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> <strong>education</strong> at all levels<br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> all parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world through motivat<strong>in</strong>g, encourag<strong>in</strong>g, guid<strong>in</strong>g, help<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong> support<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> member <strong>countries</strong>.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> above section it is evident that all <strong>countries</strong> <strong>in</strong> Asia are work<strong>in</strong>g on policy development<br />
<strong>and</strong> policy reform <strong>in</strong> order to harmonize <strong>the</strong> national <strong>education</strong> system accord<strong>in</strong>g to national <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>ternational needs. The time series data from 1980 to 2009, on <strong>the</strong> selected <strong>Asian</strong> <strong>countries</strong>,<br />
show a positive change <strong>in</strong> all <strong>the</strong> sub-regions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> cont<strong>in</strong>ent (see <strong>the</strong> Annex). The real pace <strong>of</strong><br />
change varies across national systems but <strong>the</strong> direction <strong>of</strong> change appears to be similar.<br />
(Schugurensky 1999). The available data on Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) <strong>and</strong> Net Enrolment<br />
Ratio (NER) at primary, secondary <strong>and</strong> tertiary levels show an <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> all <strong>countries</strong> for both<br />
genders. But <strong>the</strong> level <strong>and</strong> pace <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> growth vary from country to county. In some <strong>countries</strong>,<br />
like Iran, Saudi Arabia, <strong>the</strong> Philipp<strong>in</strong>es <strong>and</strong> Thail<strong>and</strong>, female participation rate has even<br />
surpassed to <strong>the</strong> male at tertiary level but <strong>in</strong> some <strong>countries</strong>, like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, <strong>and</strong><br />
Pakistan, female participation rate at all levels is very low as compared to that <strong>of</strong> male. The<br />
Gross enrolment ratio at tertiary level is 100 <strong>in</strong> South Korea, which is <strong>the</strong> highest <strong>in</strong> Asia <strong>and</strong><br />
even <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world, whereas Afghanistan <strong>and</strong> Pakistan have <strong>the</strong> lowest GER at tertiary level, 1.5<br />
<strong>and</strong> 5.2 respectively. This low participation rate can be attributed to fragile political condition<br />
<strong>and</strong> low economic development <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>se <strong>countries</strong> for <strong>the</strong> last many decades. But <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>se low<br />
perform<strong>in</strong>g <strong>countries</strong> also a high <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> participation rate has been witnessed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> last<br />
decade as compared to <strong>the</strong> growth dur<strong>in</strong>g 80s <strong>and</strong> 90s at primary, secondary <strong>and</strong> tertiary levels<br />
for same <strong>in</strong>dicator.<br />
The states <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> IGOs‟ efforts have not only resulted <strong>in</strong> an <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> GER at all levels but<br />
also positively contributed to <strong>the</strong> School life expectancy from primary to tertiary level for both<br />
genders <strong>in</strong> all selected <strong>Asian</strong> <strong>countries</strong> except that <strong>of</strong> Iraq where for <strong>the</strong> last three decades it has<br />
been decreas<strong>in</strong>g. Though state spend<strong>in</strong>g on <strong>education</strong> is cont<strong>in</strong>uously ris<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> majority <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>countries</strong> per pupil public expenditure as a percent <strong>of</strong> GDP per capita is decreas<strong>in</strong>g for<br />
primary, secondary <strong>and</strong> tertiary levels. Likewise pupil teacher ratio is also <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> majority<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>countries</strong>. This is due non-proportionate <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> resource allocation as compared to <strong>the</strong><br />
rapid <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> student enrolment at all levels.