Creating a World Class Education System with Andreas Schleicher, OECD Ei Dialogues

In this episode, Sridhar Rajagopalan speaks to Andreas Schleicher. Andreas is the Director for Education and Skills, and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris. Andreas spearheaded the Programme for International Student Assessment, or PISA, in this role. He has also written the book World Class: How to build a 21st Century Education System, which we highly recommend you read. It's freely available on the OECD's website (https://bit.ly/3yWa17B).

Sridhar and Andreas discuss PISA and the role it plays in education and policy making. Andreas highlights how developing nations have improved greatly without excessive financial investment, and how equity and excellence in education are two sides of the same coin. Sridhar and Andreas also speak about the need for a 'Science of Learning' to help educators diagnose and address students challenges, just as doctors use the science of medicine to treat patients. Looking forward, Andreas charts a path for schools, parents and policy-makers to strengthen education systems, taking lessons from their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.