Some recent reports from World Bank

Chile - Institutional design for an effective education quality assurance

Abstract: The main objective of this report is to present the Government of Chile with policy options related to the institutional distribution of roles and responsibilities for effective quality assurance in education. Following the introduction, the report is structured as follows. Chapter II presents background information on the evolution of Chile's education system since 1980. This information, together with an analysis of the current situation of the education sector, describes the motivation for the study and demonstrates the urgent need to shift the focus in education policy to quality assurance. Chapter III describes the conceptual framework developed for the analysis of how successful systems carry out education quality assurance. The framework developed identifies education participants, including: students; teachers; principals and school administrators; schools; local governments (districts, municipalities); regional governments (states, provinces); and the national government. Chapter IV applies the framework to the nine education systems selected as comparisons and presents a summary of the quality assurance functions and institutions in each selected education system. Chapter V describes the four alternative instructional visions for quality assurance in education developed as a result of the international review. Finally, Chapter VI presents policy options for the distribution of roles and responsibilities for education quality assurance across individuals and/or institutions, which vary depending on the instructional vision followed

Policy challenges for education and economic growth in the Slovak Republic

India - Land policies for growth and poverty reduction

Abstract: In India, land continues to be of enormous economic, social, and symbolic relevance. The main purpose of this report is to review new empirical evidence on land administration and land policy, as well as the possible interaction between the two, to derive policy conclusions. The empirical basis for the discussion of land administration is provided by a review of land records, survey and settlement, and land registration in 14 states. Chapter two describes the origin, nature, and main functions of current institutions and the ensuing problems for secure tenure and easy transferability of land. Chapter three identifies elements of a best practice approach to improving textual data (records and registration) and, based on a review of state experience, identifies the associated benefits. Chapter four reviews the extent to which lessons from improving textual records could help to give a boost to improvement of the spatial database for land administration. Chapter five concludes the discussion on land administration by assessing the scope for title registration to help improve tenure security in India and by identifying that need to be discussed. Chapter 6 highlights that land reform has helped increase accumulation of physical and human capital but that the impact is declining over time. Chapter 7 explores the functioning of land lease markets, and the extent to which restrictions on land leasing reduce the scope for productivity and equity enhancing transfers through such markets which could be particularly beneficial for women. Chapter 8 reviews the operation of land sales markets and suggests alternative approaches for preventing land loss by tribal people and chapter 9 concludes with a series of policy recommendations.

Zambia - Poverty and vulnerabiltiy assessment

Making Finance Work for Africa

Two decades of reform : the changing organization dynamics of Chinese industrial firms