ABSTRACT
It is not intended here to analyse the politics of education. That is a vast subject with an equally vast literature. Governments everywhere are involved deeply in the provision of education and in education policy generally. They are involved mainly for political, not for economic reasons, and thus it may seem pointless to ask what are the economic justifications for public provision or finance of education. Nevertheless it is necessary to clarify some of the economic issues in public policy, as it provides a background for the discussion of educational
planning. The question of whether or not there should be public provision of education (on economic grounds) must however be distinguished from the question of how education should be planned. If it is found that public provision for education is economically
desirable, then it is not a question of whether one should have educational planning, but of how to plan. One can presume that rational and efficient education systems do not just happen, they need to be consciously designed, i.e. planned.
