What we can learn from public debt reductions in OECD countries
Public debt-to-GDP ratios have risen substantially over the past 25 years, and multiple spending pressures threaten to increase them further. This column outlines the lessons
Why information campaigns may backfire: Voter heterogeneity and network effects
Political information campaigns that perform well in focus groups and pilot studies may backfire when applied at scale. This column uses a field experiment in
The role of wages in retaining effective teachers in the classroom
Concerns about declining student achievements have become central in education debates, with teacher quality drawing attention as a key driver. This column examines how wages
After ‘the change’: How menopause affects women’s labour and health outcomes
The labour costs associated with the menopause transition have been largely understudied. Exploiting the individual timing of menopause, this column estimates the causal effects of
The political economy of climate policy: Evidence from the American Clean Energy and Security Act
Comprehensive national climate legislation remains elusive in the US. Linking district-level employment to roll-call behaviour in the 2009 House vote on the American Clean Energy
Saudi, UAE school operator Almasar Alshamil’s retail IPO raises $47.9mln
Retail offering oversubscribed by 1.21 times, indicating strong investor interest. Almasar Alshamil Education Company, a provider of specialised education in the GCC, has raised SAR
Is AI making us smarter or just making us look smart?
Here’s an uncomfortable truth: Students can ace every assignment in class and learn virtually nothing. Conversely, they can struggle through tasks and learn quite a
Exploring how AI can boost people-centered development
With AI’s potential to transform and improve lives globally, we should consider what really works to leverage AI for people. At the World Bank, we are
Labour market institutions for the AI era: The need for verified employment records
The rise of AI fundamentally alters the balance between formal credentials and verified experience in labour markets, but without verified employment records, experience remains invisible.
Transforming schools for better learning outcomes
Education is the pathway to jobs and the surest way out of poverty, empowering generations to drive economic growth. Yet, for many students, this promise
