©TheBrookingsInstitution,June2022.AllRightsReserved.1TRANSFORMINGEDUCATIONSYSTEMSWHY,WHAT,ANDHOWBYDAVIDSENGEHANDREBECCAWINTHROPPOLICYBRIEF|JUNE2022Today,thetopicofeducationsystemtransformationisfrontofmindformanyleaders.MinistersofeducationaroundtheworldareseekingtobuildbackbetterastheyemergefromCOVID-19-schoolclosurestoanewnormaloflivingwithapandemic.TheU.N.secretarygeneralisconveningtheTransformingEducationSummit(TES)atthisyear’sgeneralassemblymeeting(UnitedNations,n.d.).Studentsaroundtheworldcontinuetodemandtransformationonclimateand,notfindingvoicetodothisthroughtheirschools,areregularlyleavingclasstotestouttheircivicactionskills.Itiswiththismomentinmindthatwehavedevelopedthissharedvisionofeducationsystemtransformation.Collectivelyweofferinsightsontransformationfromtheperspectiveofaglobalthinktankandanationalgovernment:theCenterforUniversalEducation(CUE)atBrookingsbringsyearsofglobalresearchoneducationchangeandtransformation,andtheMinistryofEducationofSierraLeonebringson-the-groundlessonsfromdesigningandimplementingsystem-wideeducationalrebuilding.Thisbriefisforanyeducationleaderorstakeholderwhoisinterestedinchartingatransformation,journeyintheircountryoreducationjurisdiction,suchasastateordistrict.Itisalsoforcivilsocietyorganizations,funders,researchers,andanyoneinterestedinthetopicofnationaldevelopmentthrougheducation.Init,weanswerthefollowingthreequestionsandargueforaparticipatoryapproachtotransformation:•Whyiseducationsystemtransformationurgentnow?Wearguethattheworldisataninflectionpoint.Climatechange,thechangingnatureofwork,increasingconflictandauthoritarianismtogetherwiththeurgencyofCOVIDrecoveryhasmadethetransformationagendamorecriticalthanever.•Whatiseducationsystemtransformation?Wearguethateducationsystemtransformationmustentailafreshreviewofthegoalsofyoursystem–aretheymeetingthemomentthatwearein,aretheytacklinginequalityandbuildingresilienceforachangingworld,aretheyfullycontextaware,DAVIDSENGEHistheMinisterofBasicandSeniorSecondaryEducationandC...
