The Challenges and Opportunities for Health and Education: A Call to Invest in Human Capital
There is little debate about the terrible effects of the COVID-19 epidemic on people’s health and education today, but the long-term effects on society are still unknown as the disease continues to wreak havoc on nations throughout the world.
The new coronavirus has killed thousands of health conscious individuals in Europe and Central Asia, and many of the survivors may have long-term health effects. Furthermore, several nations are seeing an increase in the infection rate. Large-scale disruptions to education, such as the closing of schools and universities, exacerbate the health issues that nations face and cause substantial learning losses. These losses can amount to as much as a full year of education in some nations.
Governments in the region are forced to make difficult decisions and trade-offs between preserving people’s employment prospects in the future and preserving people’s health as they attempt to recover from the crisis.
Equitable Access to Healthcare and Education
Can we, however, draw lessons from the recent past and apply them to the construction of a robust recovery?
Based only on life expectancy and basic education, pre-pandemic data show that individuals in the Europe and Scientific Asia region have a far better start in life than their counterparts in other parts of the world. According to the most recent Human Capital Index, out of the 48 European and Central Asian nations, 33 places in the top third globally and 44 in the top half.
Even with this relative advantage on a global scale, more work needs to be done to guarantee that everyone has access to healthcare and educational opportunities that will allow them to realize their full potential. It is insufficient to just get by or finish your basic education.
Throughout their life, adults must continue to learn new things and develop new talents while still maintaining their health and level of activity. Reducing the health hazards associated with obesity, smoking, and heavy drinking is particularly important in Europe and Central Asia, as these factors can have a significant impact on active and productive aging. Furthermore, modern employment markets require more than just a foundational education. Students attending higher education institutions need to be prepared for the challenges posed by technological transformation and globalization.
Addressing Health Challenges and Gender InequalitiesÂ
Our most recent Regional Economic Update provides strategies for overcoming these obstacles. over 23% of people in the region drink heavily on occasion, over 18% of people are obese, and over 26% of people smoke now. Russia and Eastern Europe have the highest health hazards in the region, together with the lowest adult life expectancy.
The likelihood of illnesses like cardiovascular disease as well as the mortality and morbidity effects of infectious diseases like COVID-19 are increased when such health concerns are prevalent. The literature indicates that smoking and obesity can lower an individual’s earnings by over ten percent, and heavy drinkers can suffer much more, with an earnings decrease of up to twenty percent. However, the influence of specific health issues on productivity is difficult to assess.
It’s also critical to recognize the gender inequalities, which are especially pronounced in the cases of smoking and binge drinking. Men are more likely than women to smoke and binge drink, which puts them at risk for health problems in every nation in the region. For instance, the gender disparity in smoking is about forty percentage points higher in the South Caucasus countries.
Empowering Labor Force Through Higher Education and Addressing Gender Disparities in STEM Fields
A high-quality college education can make a person more competitive in the rapidly evolving post-COVID labor markets. The average return on investment for an individual pursuing a year extra of postsecondary education is estimated to be as high as 15% higher wages. Improving higher education would also assist the nations of the South Caucasus, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Western Balkans in holding onto their highly trained labor force in the face of persistent out-migration.
Income levels are positively correlated with both tertiary education attainment and quality throughout the region. Outliers do exist, though. For instance, an average 30-34-year-old in Russia receives over two years of quality-adjusted university education due to the country’s high tertiary attainment and quality, ranking it among the best in the entire region, including the Western European nations. However, the proportion of Turkish adults with a postsecondary degree at roughly 30% is less than half of that of Russian people at comparable income levels.
Although there are fewer gender disparities in schooling, the ones that do exist tend to favor women. As a result, in the majority of the region’s countries, men still lag behind women in terms of education and health. However, women are disproportionately underrepresented in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) across all nations. This decision has significant ramifications because people with postsecondary degrees in STEM subjects typically have higher incomes and are more active in the labor market.
Policy Recommendations for Resilient Recovery
Countries in the region should therefore implement policies to address the problems with health and education if they want to see a resilient recovery. Reducing risk factors and promoting better health outcomes can extend life expectancy and improve livelihoods at the same time. Policies that increase the cost of non-essential goods like cigarettes and alcoholic beverages are among the most successful.
Reducing obesity and improving diets call for a slightly different strategy. Governments and the food sector must work together to progressively lower the fat and salt content in processed foods. Additionally, additional work has to be done to determine whether gender-specific policies are more successful than population-level interventions in addressing the implications of gender variations in health risk factors.
The ability to prevent, detect, and respond to public health events, such as future pandemics, is also a critical post-COVID challenge for the region, given the susceptibility of aging populations and the vast number of individuals with underlying health risks.
Investing in Human Capital: Prioritizing Education, Health, and Equity for Post-Pandemic Progress in Europe and Central Asia
Modernizing basic education, enhancing the caliber and applicability of post-secondary education, and addressing the equity disparities that still exist at both levels is imperative for nations. The issues presented by a greater reliance on remote learning will also need to be addressed by post-COVID legislative measures aimed at improving education. There are still significant obstacles in raising women’s job aspirations and improving men’s schooling.
Countries must continue to be steadfast in their dedication to protecting and extending the advancements they have made in health and education while they struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic. The advancement of human capital is essential to this goal. Politicians in Europe and Central Asia may lead their nations toward healthier and more productive societies in the post-pandemic era by giving priority to investments that can help people reach their full potential.
