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| Education spending: how does the UK compare? | Education spending: how does the UK compare? |
| (3 months later) | |
| A report analysing education trends in industrialised countries "comes at a time when youth unemployment keeps policy makers awake at night" according to the introduction. The point is difficult to refute. The unemployment rises from the economic crisis have been bigger for those without a higher level of education. That means that education is becoming increasingly important, while public spending on education is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. | A report analysing education trends in industrialised countries "comes at a time when youth unemployment keeps policy makers awake at night" according to the introduction. The point is difficult to refute. The unemployment rises from the economic crisis have been bigger for those without a higher level of education. That means that education is becoming increasingly important, while public spending on education is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. |
| Education spending since 2008 | Education spending since 2008 |
| Between 2008 and 2010, GDP in the UK fell by 2%, the same as the average across OECD countries. But public expenditure on education in the UK rose by 8% over the same period while the OECD managed a slightly more modest 5% increase. | Between 2008 and 2010, GDP in the UK fell by 2%, the same as the average across OECD countries. But public expenditure on education in the UK rose by 8% over the same period while the OECD managed a slightly more modest 5% increase. |
| The UK trend is even more striking when out in context as a proportion of GDP. Education spending rose by 10% as a percentage of UK GDP between 2008 and 2010 - one of the steepest rises of any of the countries in the Paris-based club of wealthy nations. | The UK trend is even more striking when out in context as a proportion of GDP. Education spending rose by 10% as a percentage of UK GDP between 2008 and 2010 - one of the steepest rises of any of the countries in the Paris-based club of wealthy nations. |
| The report comes a day ahead of the chancellor's spending round tomorrow where the government will announce how £745bn in spending will be distributed across government departments. Although schools will be ring-fenced from the £11.5bn of savings that will be announced that does not mean that the all education spending is immune from austerity measures. | The report comes a day ahead of the chancellor's spending round tomorrow where the government will announce how £745bn in spending will be distributed across government departments. Although schools will be ring-fenced from the £11.5bn of savings that will be announced that does not mean that the all education spending is immune from austerity measures. |
| Higher education in particular is likely to be targeted. It's expected that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (responsible for further and higher education) will need to find around £1.1bn in savings and that a £50m UK scholarship fund could be scrapped. | Higher education in particular is likely to be targeted. It's expected that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (responsible for further and higher education) will need to find around £1.1bn in savings and that a £50m UK scholarship fund could be scrapped. |
| Education editor Richard Adams wrote today | Education editor Richard Adams wrote today |
| Cuts of up to £2bn from the education budget in Wednesday's spending review would wipe out the UK's decade-long rise up international league tables for investment in education | Cuts of up to £2bn from the education budget in Wednesday's spending review would wipe out the UK's decade-long rise up international league tables for investment in education |
| Impact | Impact |
| Though the return from education differs significantly whether it is quantified at the individual or societal level, the OECD data suggests that for every man educated to a tertiary level, thousands of dollars are generated. In the UK, the personal rewards are estimated at over $180,000 (£117,000) and the net public return at almost $100,000 (£65,000). | Though the return from education differs significantly whether it is quantified at the individual or societal level, the OECD data suggests that for every man educated to a tertiary level, thousands of dollars are generated. In the UK, the personal rewards are estimated at over $180,000 (£117,000) and the net public return at almost $100,000 (£65,000). |
| Across the OECD, the average public return for a man's tertiary education is $100,000, while the return for a woman is estimated at $60,000. Assuming that a large part of this 'public return' is reaped through income taxes, some of this gap may be attributable to pay differentials between men and women in OECD countries. | Across the OECD, the average public return for a man's tertiary education is $100,000, while the return for a woman is estimated at $60,000. Assuming that a large part of this 'public return' is reaped through income taxes, some of this gap may be attributable to pay differentials between men and women in OECD countries. |
| Despite the impact of the financial crisis, as well as the increased spending on education in the UK, the proportion of 15-19 year olds not in education, employment or training (NEETs) has remained relatively constant between 2008 and 2011 - although at 10%, this is still a considerable proportion of young people. The percentage of NEETs across the OECD average has also stayed at a similar level during this period, suggesting that the impact of the financial crisis has been greater for older age groups. | Despite the impact of the financial crisis, as well as the increased spending on education in the UK, the proportion of 15-19 year olds not in education, employment or training (NEETs) has remained relatively constant between 2008 and 2011 - although at 10%, this is still a considerable proportion of young people. The percentage of NEETs across the OECD average has also stayed at a similar level during this period, suggesting that the impact of the financial crisis has been greater for older age groups. |
| UK focus | UK focus |
| In a separate release, the OECD has highlighted some of the key trends in UK education over the past decade. These include: | In a separate release, the OECD has highlighted some of the key trends in UK education over the past decade. These include: |
| • Based on 2011 patterns, the OECD expects that 15-29 year olds in the UK will spend 2.3 years on average either unemployed or outside of the labour force (slightly higher than the EU average of 2.2 years). • The UK has one of the youngest teaching forces in the OECD with 60% of primary school teachers aged under 40 and 31% aged under 30. • Only a quarter (25.2%) of expenditure on tertiary education in the UK comes from the public purse, well below the OECD average of 68.4%. • Behind only the United States, the UK remains the most attractive country in the OECD for international students who contribute €2.6bn (£2.21bn) in tuition fees and €2.7bn (£2.29bn) in living expenses to the UK economy in 2008-09. • Almost 1 in 2 young adults in the UK (47%) have attained a tertiary education, surpassing the EU target of 40%. | • Based on 2011 patterns, the OECD expects that 15-29 year olds in the UK will spend 2.3 years on average either unemployed or outside of the labour force (slightly higher than the EU average of 2.2 years). • The UK has one of the youngest teaching forces in the OECD with 60% of primary school teachers aged under 40 and 31% aged under 30. • Only a quarter (25.2%) of expenditure on tertiary education in the UK comes from the public purse, well below the OECD average of 68.4%. • Behind only the United States, the UK remains the most attractive country in the OECD for international students who contribute €2.6bn (£2.21bn) in tuition fees and €2.7bn (£2.29bn) in living expenses to the UK economy in 2008-09. • Almost 1 in 2 young adults in the UK (47%) have attained a tertiary education, surpassing the EU target of 40%. |
| Data limitations | Data limitations |
| Given that several OECD countries budgets are likely to have been set in advance, evaluating the impact of the financial crisis starting from 2008 might not be the best way to measure the consequences for education. More recent data on education spending is available from the UK government which would allow a longer view of change - however this would preclude fair comparisons across the OECD. | Given that several OECD countries budgets are likely to have been set in advance, evaluating the impact of the financial crisis starting from 2008 might not be the best way to measure the consequences for education. More recent data on education spending is available from the UK government which would allow a longer view of change - however this would preclude fair comparisons across the OECD. |
| The OECD average includes countries where the impact of the economic downturn has been felt very differently - that may be a misleading point of comparison if this dataset is intended to reflect the impact of the financial crisis on education. | The OECD average includes countries where the impact of the economic downturn has been felt very differently - that may be a misleading point of comparison if this dataset is intended to reflect the impact of the financial crisis on education. |
| This latest release nevertheless offers an interesting insight into the way that different wealthy countries are prioritising education and the impact that is having - though the real consequences of the financial crisis on education may not become visible in the OECD data for several years. | This latest release nevertheless offers an interesting insight into the way that different wealthy countries are prioritising education and the impact that is having - though the real consequences of the financial crisis on education may not become visible in the OECD data for several years. |
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