The World Bank and China: investing in human resources development

The World Bank is the largest single source of external funding applied to the development of education in China. Beginning with loans to upgrade Chinese universities in science and technology education and research in 1981, World Bank loans now support basic education in the relatively disadvantaged provinces. To date the policy arrangements and implications of these massive injections of funds have been little explored. This thesis aims to evaluate policy issues and their implications, especially those which arise from the interaction of China’s education policy makers with the World Bank, and to explore the key aspects of Bank education activities in China. This thesis discusses World Bank education policy and lending and their implications for developing countries. It examines the overall relationship between China and the Bank, as well as the education sector in particular. The development of an educational partnership has resulted in education programs which cover a wide range of education institutions. These have had widespread impact on institutional development and underlying policy. This thesis identifies constraints in effectiveness which have influenced the fulfilment of the program’s original objectives. These relate to problems in project design and implementation, including the objectives, administrative structure, contextual relevance, and the nature of the project cycle itself. These constraints are also seen as a reflection of the policy interactions of the government, educational institutions, and Bank, understood within broad policy contexts