The Global Education Reform Movement: Is it Working?

Abstract

This is a review of the book Global Education Reform: How Privatization and Public Investment Influence Education Outcomes that examines the outcomes from two types of models – the GERM approach and the public investment model. The public investment model is one where the state invests in, and regulates the public education system to ensure resources reach all students equitably. The Global Education Reform Movement (GERM) is one that champions private alternatives, individual choice, and competition between schools. In this review, I discuss how a major omission is that none of the countries discussed are as geographically populous or economically constrained as many developing countries. However despite its gaps, there are important lessons for countries that may want to limit the spread of GERM.