“后4%时代”的教育经费应该投向何处?——基于跨国数据的实证研究

Apportion of Education Budget in the Post-4% Era:Anempirical study based on transnational data

一国的教育投资水平必须与其经济发展水平相适应已成为学界共识。我国在2012年终于实现财政性教育经费支出占GDP比例突破4%的目标。对于"后4%时代"的教育财政走向,有必要超越教育学的视野,从教育与经济发展的关系上进行深入探讨。跨国数据实证研究发现,相对受教育年限,代表教育质量的PISA2003成绩对经济增长具有更大解释力,而提高优等生比例带来的经济效应则是其他教育变量所无法比拟的;延长初等、中等、高等教育年限均能够对经济增长产生正向效应,且中等教育年限对经济增长的效应最大;提高人口中等、高等教育参与率对经济增长有显著贡献,且中等教育参与率的效应最大。此外,路径分析的结果表明,中等、高等教育生均经费的增加能够显著地拉动人均GDP增长。因此,在"后4%时代",首先,我国应当继续扩大各级教育投入,在保持义务教育受教育年限、参与率和提高中等教育的受教育年限、参与率的基础上,着力提升教育质量;其次,坚持"三个增长",努力提高各级教育生均经费,特别是高等教育生均经费;最后,建议教育财政性经费中建立"英才教育基金",给予天赋高的学生以特殊的人才培养机制,为我国未来科技和经济的快速发展提供充足的精英后备人才。

It is widely acknowledged that the education expenditure in a country should match the level of her economic development. In 2012 ,China finally realized the goal of 4% of education financial expenditure of the GDP. Then in this post- 40% era,it is necessary to go beyond education study to consider the national education budget from the perspective of mutual growth of education and economy. It is found that,compared with years of schooling,PISA2003 as a measurement of educa- tion quality has greater explanatory power for economic growth,and to raise the share of top students can exert unparallel economic effect. At the same time, to extend years of schooling of the primary, secondary and tertiary education will also make positive contribution to economy growth; in fact, the years of secondary schooling is most influential of all. Further- more,to raise participation rates in both secondary and tertiary education can make greater contribution,of which the former has a greater effect. The outcomes of path analysis also show that the per capita expenditure of the primary, secondary and tertiary education would significantly enhance per capita GDP. Therefore, in the post-4 % era,China should first continue en- hancing the participation rate of every education level and pay more attention to the quality of education. She should also in- sist on the Three Increases＇principle,and raise the per capita expenditure at every level of education,in particular the higher education. Finally,a Talent Education Fund should be established in the educational budget to form a special cultivating mechanism for those gifted and talent to support the future technology and economy with sufficient elites.