Human resources in education

With a growing focus on the importance of ‘knowledge societies' for equipping countries with a suitable workforce, issues around human resources within the education sector have come under greater scrutiny. The human resource element has two important dimensions: education supplies human resources, but equally it is essential that those responsible for education receive high quality training and opportunities in order to fulfil their role.

This key issues page examines recent literature and, through academic findings, practical papers and lessons learned, provides a rounded picture on the issues above. The first section examines education as a supplier of human resources and explores issues related to the quality and quantity of the education provided appropriate to a particular country's situation. The second section examines human resources for education service delivery, which includes issues of attracting, developing and retaining effective teachers. A final set of papers considers the management of education human resources and offers syntheses and lessons learned on teacher management, motivation and the rural/urban divide.

Education as a supplier of human resources

Although the emphasis in the Millennium Development Goals is primary education, for effective strengthening of their human resource base do developing countries need to look across the whole sector and explore extended or even different educational routes? And if so, what kinds? By examining various levels and types of education, the following papers show the importance of vocational and skills training as well as primary, secondary and tertiary education in providing human resources which are appropriate to a country's and an individual's situation. Recommended reading...

Human resources for education service delivery

Good teachers are essential in any education system, but to what extent does the infrastructure facilitate this and how does it impact on the education provided? The following papers discuss issues such as the recruitment processes, training (both pre and in-service), and the teachers' career paths. Recommended reading...

Management of education human resources

Issues associated with the management of education human resources are often fraught and the growing trend to decentralise responsibility to local governments has brought with it a number of new issues. How can countries best tackle their deployment problems, especially in rural areas? And are contract teachers the best answer to teacher shortages? The following papers explore lessons learned in posting teachers to schools where they are needed, how to keep them there and how to ensure their performance. Recommended reading...