Grande questões: Educação, competências e oportunidade

High-stakes standardised testing narrows curricula and disadvantages students from lower-income backgrounds without improving average learning outcomes.

Teacher quality is the single most important within-school determinant of pupil outcomes, and teacher pay should reflect this.

Vocational and technical education routes are systematically underfunded relative to academic routes in most high-income countries.

Access to reliable internet and digital devices should be recognised as a prerequisite for meaningful participation in education and civic life.

Digital and critical information literacy should be mandatory core curriculum requirements from primary school alongside reading and numeracy.

Private schools that select by academic ability or religious faith perpetuate socioeconomic advantage and should not receive public subsidy.

University tuition fees reduce access for students from lower-income households and should be replaced with public funding through progressive taxation.