How Wales can ensure the successful implementation of its reforms

By Andreas SchleicherDirector, OECD Directorate for Education and SkillsWales is committed to providing high-quality and inclusive education for all its citizens. The disappointing 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment results however showed Wales was far removed from realising this commitment, which sparked a national debate on the quality and future of education in Wales. This resulted...

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Doctors and nurses are from Venus, scientists and engineers are from Mars (for now)

By Francesco Avvisati Analyst, OECD Directorate for Education and SkillsThere is little doubt that in OECD countries, the chances for boys and girls to succeed and contribute to society have become more equal over the past century. Every International Women’s Day, however, we are also reminded of the remaining obstacles towards gender equality. This month’s PISA in Focus illustrates both...

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Knowing what teachers know about teaching

by Dirk Van DammeHead of the Innovation and Measuring Progress Division, Directorate for Education and Skills In modern societies, most professionals become knowledge workers. Their professional practice is increasingly fuelled and inspired by various forms of knowledge. A good example is the medical profession, where the continuously growing body of scientific knowledge finds its way into professional...

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Mind the Gap: Inequality in education

by Tracey BurnsSenior Analyst, OECD Directorate for Education and Skills"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times … we had everything before us, we had nothing before us "... Charles Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities in 1859. Almost two centuries later, his words remind us of what a very serious challenge inequity is.Inequality has been growing in most OECD countries since the 1980s...

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