Economic rationalism in education

The influence of economic policy on education has long been felt at the system organising level – in the number of students, the size of the education budget, the number and types of institutions. In recent years government economic policies have begun to shape more closely the ‘internal’ processes of teaching, learning, research and management. Later chapters explore policies on educational outcomes, resource management, educational markets, and reform in higher education and competency-based training. This chapter reviews the content of those economic policies. ‘Economic rationalism’ has installed a free market economic agenda at the heart of public education policy, with deep consequences for both the academic and the democratic project.