Chapter 1: Educational Attainment Across the Global Context: Complexities, Turbulence, and Possibilities

At the turn of the 21st century, about 100 million children of primary school ages were out of school worldwide (UNESCO, 2007). Further, at least about 600 million students lacked adequate textbooks and learning materials, and quality teaching from untrained educators reflecting the disparity in conditions to promote reasonable levels of educational attainment (Bing, 2009). Despite the insatiable demand for education, many governmental and local sectors have been incapable of responding. The trends in educational development in the world depict the inherent inequality in human society, but systemic reform efforts throughout the world draw focus on the importance of capacity development on many fronts. Hirosato and Kitamura (2009) report that throughout the world attempts to realize “education for all” (EFA) aimed to diffuse basic education are being made. The diffusion of basic education as a task remains a long road toward achieving educational equity and resulting in socioeconomic development (i.e., skilled and productive workers to increase an economy’s output of goods and services) in many developing countries and for indigenous peoples in developed countries. In considering the mechanism of education reform in developing countries and indigenous peoples in developed countries, this chapter draws upon human capital theory to explicate the nature and function of education reform processes throughout the world and examines social and structural actors who serve as intermediaries aimed at tackling inequity in education.