4. Conclusion

A reform initiative introduced in 2019 in Egypt seeks to refocus the education system on learning rather than credentialing. It introduces changes to student assessments and examinations; enhances the capacity of teachers, education leaders, and supervisors; and supports development of a new curriculum framework. A reform initiative supported by the World Bank in West Bank and Gaza will strengthen the national assessment framework and prepare a reform of the secondary school leaving examination. It will also support participation in two international large-scale assessments to obtain highquality learning data.

4. Conclusion

Education governance in the MENA region is well behind where it is in comparator countries. Playing catch-up will require strong political will, better information, and contributions from a wide range of stakeholders, including teachers and supervisors who often have little say in key decision-making processes, and civil society, whose voice is comparatively weak in the region.

Conclusion 1. Countries in the MENA region have been unable to translate increases in educational coverage and spending into economic development; good education governance is needed to tackle the wide range of

factors that contribute to poor learning outcomes. The region has made significant gains in coverage and, with several notable exceptions, spending levels for education remain relatively high. Yet by many measures, the MENA region has had the least success worldwide in translating these achievements into better learning outcomes, a stronger human capital base and ultimately, economic development.

Conclusion 2. A number of MENA countries have shown progress on two of the three dimensions of governance— setting standards and assessing progress—but embedding the standards within the day-to-day functioning of

the education system remains a significant challenge. Many countries have established robust mechanisms for setting standards regarding student learning outcomes and teacher qualifications. Many have also significantly improved the measurement of student learning, including through participation in international testing. Yet most countries have not yet developed a shared consensus around teaching and learning, and do not have the institutional capacity for evidence-based analysis and decision-making that is needed to sustain reform processes.

Conclusion 3. MENA countries have shown little progress on the third dimension of governance—improving

accountability. Measures of accountability within the region generally show little improvement in recent years. This holds for all three elements of accountability: ensuring that stakeholders understand learning goals, and know whether they are being met; identifying actions to improve learning and assigning responsibility; and effectively ensuring that needed actions are in fact carried out. A number of recent governance reform initiatives hold promise for providing new momentum for these efforts.

Conclusion 4. Weak education governance exacerbates existing socioeconomic disparities in learning outcomes.

When governance is weak, the most vulnerable groups will not have full participation. This can further widen disparities across social groups in terms of access to learning. An example is that many countries seeking to expand Early Childhood Development do so in ways that give initial preference to children from the wealthiest families. A further example can be seen in measures to address the COVID-19 pandemic—children from the wealthiest families had disproportionate access to the devices used for distance education.