Curricular Content, Educational Expansion, and Economic Growth

Abstract

Cross-national studies show that mass educational expansion has a significant positive effect on economic growth, mainly at the primary level, but also at the secondary level.' Qualitative features of national school systems such as the provision of textbooks, per-pupil expenditure, and the extent of teacher training also have modest economic effects, especially in the developing world.2 Debate continues on the array of institutional conditions that accentuates mass education's economic impact.3 The present study, by contrast, focuses on a new line of inquiry. It explores the relationship between official curricular policies and longterm economic growth from a cross-national perspective. Specifically, it seeks to determine whether, and to what extent, national variations in curricular content and structure-as distinct from enrollment growth or qualitative provisionssignificantly affect economic development. Comparative educational research typically analyzes the curricular content of national school systems according to a three-tiered classification scheme: the official, intended curriculum; the curriculum as implemented in schools and classrooms; and the curriculum as attained by pupils.4 This study focuses exclusively on the economic consequences of the first tier (the formally prescribed curriculum set forth by national educational authorities)