Publication: Russian Federation - Per Capita Financing of Education : Experience and Issues
Loading...
Date
2004
ISSN
Published
2004
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
This brief policy note reviews experience so far with the implementation of a new financing scheme for general education (based on the principle of 'money follows the student') in the Russian Federation. The policy note, which also briefly discusses the lessons of international experience in the field, may be relevant to other countries that are in the process of moving to a system of per capita financing of education services. Of the four major issues facing the education sector in Russia - resource mobilization and efficiency, quality and output measurement, market linkages and equity and access - the first is central: other reforms will be difficult to implement without an improvement in mobilization and allocation of resources. Two key sets of issues are discussed: 1) those issues that have affected the smooth introduction of per capita financing to date in Russia; and 2) perceived problems in relation to budget flexibility and school autonomy because of the introduction of the Treasury system and the Budget Code.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank. 2004. Russian Federation - Per Capita Financing of Education : Experience and Issues. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/14401 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Russia's Transition to a New Federalism(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2001-02)In the preface to this report, it is asserted that, "history hovers... over any discussion of fiscal federalism in Russia." This report not only reviews that history, but also follows it to the present situation with respect to the difficult policy choices facing the new Putin-led government, and neatly links Russia's choices with the broader issues facing any country undergoing intergovernmental reform. Thus, the authors weave into the discussion the dynamics of Russia's options with respect to deciding who delivers what services and how to finance these services with the question of the fiscal politics of change, or the intergovernmental and inter-regional balancing and counterbalancing of power. Furthermore the authors tie these questions together with those of how to implement good governance: should it be piecemeal or unified, asymmetric or uniform, and centrally driven or locally controlled? This report also initiates the first in a series of studies that will be published in the World Bank Institute's Learning Resource Series on the issues of governance and decentralization as they are framed by the WBI's broader set of programs in public finance and financial management.Publication Bosnia and Herzegovina - From Aid Dependency to Fiscal Self-Reliance : A Public Expenditure and Institutional Review(Washington, DC, 2002-10)Over the medium term, Bosnia and Herzegovina will go through a critical phase of fiscal adjustment and deeper economic reforms as it moves to orient its economy to the market and to increased integration with the rest of Europe. A key finding of this report is that the present size and scope of public spending cannot be sustained. This report is aimed at helping the authorities identify the priority fiscal policy and institutional issues and reform options on which the medium-term adjustment agenda will need to focus. The report is divided into five chapters. Chapter 1 describes the evolving governance framework and assesses its macroeconomic and fiscal stance. Chapter 2 examines government spending. Chapter 3 looks at present intergovernmental fiscal relations. Chapter 4 assesses public spending in the social sectors. Finally, chapter 5 analyzes public expenditure management and financial accountability systems.Publication Serbia and Montenegro : Public Expenditure and Institutional Review, Volume 1. Executive Summary(Washington, DC, 2003-02)This Public Expenditure and Institutional Review (PEIR) aims to help the government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in taking their public expenditure reforms further. It analyzes public expenditure practices, and institutions of the two Republics - Serbia and Montenegro - and of the Federal Government, and, evaluates their decision-making, and implementation processes. The cross-cutting topics of the PEIR are: sustainability of public expenditures; strategic allocation of public spending, to maximize growth and welfare within fiscally sustainable limits; and, accountability of the public expenditure system, needed to maintain domestic, and international support for the reconstruction programs of the two Republics. The success of reforms depends on difficult strategic choices: 1) the inherited, distorted fiscal systems, and inefficient budget management practices, call for a realistic focus in selecting the goals of reform; 2) the best solution choice must be derived from the existing structures, and practices; and, 3) the Governments of Serbia and Montenegro should focus on deepening the reforms already initiated, rather than launching a number of new ones. The first volume provides an overview of the public expenditure reform agenda; volume two focuses on the Republic of Serbia and the Federal Government, while volume three discusses public expenditure management issues in Montenegro. The public expenditure problems of the Federal level receive a somewhat limited treatment, as the contours of the future union government takes shape. Similarly, challenges of fiscal decentralization below the Republic level, receive only a brief treatment, actually only in the Serbia volume.Publication Decentralization and Local Democracy in the World : First Global Report by United Cities and Local Governments 2008(Washington, DC: United Cities and Local Government and the World Bank, 2009)This overall picture of decentralization and local democracy in African countries shows significant progress at the strictly institutional level. No country now publicly opposes the implementation of decentralization policies. Local governments exist in all countries, and elections are held to elect local authorities. The extent of such progress must, however, be set against a number of persistent obstacles that continue to hinder a real progression of decentralization in Africa. Difficulties remain within states concerning the transfer of financial resources needed to match the devolved responsibilities. Local governments also face difficulties in increasing their own resources (aside from state-transfers and grants) at a faster pace. Ensuring the availability of qualified human resources at the local level and improving public access to local services are also fundamental issues of concern.Publication Sponsoring a Race to the Top : The Case for Results-Based Intergovernmental Finance for Merit Goods(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2010-01)Intergovernmental finance is a significant source of sub-national finance in most countries. In both industrial and developing countries, formula based "manna from heaven" general purpose transfers dominate but co-exist with highly intrusive micro-managed "command and control" specific purpose transfers. Both these types of transfers undermine political and fiscal accountability. Reforms to bring in design elements that incorporate incentives for results-based accountability are resisted by both donors and recipients alike. This is because the donors perceive such reforms as attempts at chipping away at their powers and recipients fear such programs will be intrusive. This paper presents conceptual and practical underpinnings of grant designs that could further simplicity, objectivity, and local autonomy objectives while furthering citizen-centric results-based accountability. The paper further highlights a few notable recent initiatives in both industrial and developing countries that embrace such directions for reform. The paper concludes that results-based intergovernmental finance offers significant potential to minimize tradeoffs between local autonomy and accountability while furthering access to merit goods.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Business Ready 2024(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-03)Business Ready (B-READY) is a new World Bank Group corporate flagship report that evaluates the business and investment climate worldwide. It replaces and improves upon the Doing Business project. B-READY provides a comprehensive data set and description of the factors that strengthen the private sector, not only by advancing the interests of individual firms but also by elevating the interests of workers, consumers, potential new enterprises, and the natural environment. This 2024 report introduces a new analytical framework that benchmarks economies based on three pillars: Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency. The analysis centers on 10 topics essential for private sector development that correspond to various stages of the life cycle of a firm. The report also offers insights into three cross-cutting themes that are relevant for modern economies: digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and gender. B-READY draws on a robust data collection process that includes specially tailored expert questionnaires and firm-level surveys. The 2024 report, which covers 50 economies, serves as the first in a series that will expand in geographical coverage and refine its methodology over time, supporting reform advocacy, policy guidance, and further analysis and research.Publication Global Economic Prospects, January 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-16)Global growth is expected to hold steady at 2.7 percent in 2025-26. However, the global economy appears to be settling at a low growth rate that will be insufficient to foster sustained economic development—with the possibility of further headwinds from heightened policy uncertainty and adverse trade policy shifts, geopolitical tensions, persistent inflation, and climate-related natural disasters. Against this backdrop, emerging market and developing economies are set to enter the second quarter of the twenty-first century with per capita incomes on a trajectory that implies substantially slower catch-up toward advanced-economy living standards than they previously experienced. Without course corrections, most low-income countries are unlikely to graduate to middle-income status by the middle of the century. Policy action at both global and national levels is needed to foster a more favorable external environment, enhance macroeconomic stability, reduce structural constraints, address the effects of climate change, and thus accelerate long-term growth and development.Publication The Impact of Climate Change on Education and What to Do about It(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-05-02)Education can be the key to ending poverty in a livable planet, but governments must act now to protect it. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as cyclones, floods, droughts, heatwaves and wildfires. These extreme weather events are in turn disrupting schooling; precipitating learning losses, dropouts, and long-term impacts. Even if the most drastic climate mitigation strategies were implemented, extreme weather events will continue to have detrimental impacts on education outcomes.Publication Argentina Country Climate and Development Report(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11)The Argentina Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) explores opportunities and identifies trade-offs for aligning Argentina’s growth and poverty reduction policies with its commitments on, and its ability to withstand, climate change. It assesses how the country can: reduce its vulnerability to climate shocks through targeted public and private investments and adequation of social protection. The report also shows how Argentina can seize the benefits of a global decarbonization path to sustain a more robust economic growth through further development of Argentina’s potential for renewable energy, energy efficiency actions, the lithium value chain, as well as climate-smart agriculture (and land use) options. Given Argentina’s context, this CCDR focuses on win-win policies and investments, which have large co-benefits or can contribute to raising the country’s growth while helping to adapt the economy, also considering how human capital actions can accompany a just transition.Publication Classroom Assessment to Support Foundational Literacy(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-21)This document focuses primarily on how classroom assessment activities can measure students’ literacy skills as they progress along a learning trajectory towards reading fluently and with comprehension by the end of primary school grades. The document addresses considerations regarding the design and implementation of early grade reading classroom assessment, provides examples of assessment activities from a variety of countries and contexts, and discusses the importance of incorporating classroom assessment practices into teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers. The structure of the document is as follows. The first section presents definitions and addresses basic questions on classroom assessment. Section 2 covers the intersection between assessment and early grade reading by discussing how learning assessment can measure early grade reading skills following the reading learning trajectory. Section 3 compares some of the most common early grade literacy assessment tools with respect to the early grade reading skills and developmental phases. Section 4 of the document addresses teacher training considerations in developing, scoring, and using early grade reading assessment. Additional issues in assessing reading skills in the classroom and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning are reviewed in section 5. Throughout the document, country cases are presented to demonstrate how assessment activities can be implemented in the classroom in different contexts.