Comparative Analysis of Educational Policymaking with a Human Capability Development Approach (Case Study: Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Finland, and South Korea)

Ganjbakhsh Zamani, Mohsen; Kasraie, Mohammadsalar; Tavasoli Rokabadi, Majid

Comparative Analysis of Educational Policymaking with a Human Capability Development Approach (Case Study: Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Finland, and South Korea)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mohsen Ganjbakhsh zamani

mohammadsalar kasraie

majid tavasoli rokabadi

Abstract

This article presents a comparative analysis of educational policymaking in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Finland, and South Korea, with the aim of explaining how the concept of the "empowered and desirable human" is constructed within each of these educational systems. Adopting a qualitative, comparative, and Boolean analytical approach, this study identifies key components and prerequisites that influence the development of human capital. The main findings indicate that successful educational systems (Japan, Finland, and South Korea) have focused on factors such as life skills education, alignment with labor market needs, high-quality teacher training systems, and effective evaluation mechanisms to nurture creative, responsible, and globally adaptable individuals. In contrast, the analysis shows that Iran’s educational system faces fundamental challenges—including excessive centralization, weak connections with the labor market, deficiencies in teacher education, lack of quality assessment systems, and a dominant ideological orientation—that hinder the realization of an empowered human model and the effective development of human capital. This paper concludes by offering policy recommendations and emphasizes the urgent need for a fundamental redesign of Iran’s educational system to build a capable and balanced generation.

Keywords

policymaking

educational policymaking

human capital

capable human

human capability development

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