Exploration of Centralized and Decentralized Education Systems Around the World

Abstract

Through the use of the Program for International Student Assessment’s (PISA) Global Competence results, the Economic Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Democracy Index ratings, and centralization-decentralization spectrum rubrics, this dissertation shows the association between level of democracy and education system, and the association of these variables with the global competence of a country. This study aims to answer two research questions: (1) To what extent is there an association between the level of democracy (full democracy, flawed democracy, hybrid regime, authoritarian regime) and the implementation of a centralized or decentralized education system? (2) To what extent does this association determine Global Competence scores? Global competence is determined through student-completed questionnaires and assessments that surround the concepts of knowledge, values, attitudes, and skills. Data were available for twenty-six countries for all three variables: Albania, Canada, Chile, Taiwan, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Morocco, Panama, Philippines, Russia, Scotland (UK), Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, and Thailand. Secondary data analysis of two datasets (Global Competence results and Democracy Index ratings) were used in addition to research of public information of a country’s education system traits to complete the centralization-decentralization spectrum rubric. The Eta Coefficient shows a strong association between the governing person or people and the impact that has on the decision to implement a centralized or decentralized education system. A multiple regression analysis indicates that the Democracy Index and centralization-decentralization spectrum are associated with a country’s Global Competence results.