A study funded by the European Commission, relating to gender specific differences in learning achievements, shows among other things that whilst gender equality is a hot topic in many countries a general equality policy is not always advocated. More importantly, measures to reduce gender differences in achievement seem to focus primarily on the underachievement of boys.
In OECD countries the average expenditure on primary and secondary education institutions is about 3.5% of GDP. The investment in education has large implications for economic development and the proper functioning of democratic institutions, as well as overall well-being. However, clear consensus and guidance on which system leads to the best educational outcomes is lacking. This volume descri…