محتشم مختارزاده

Education plays a pivotal role in shaping societal development, influencing economic growth, social stability, governance, and individual well-being. By enhancing skills, abilities, and individual competencies, education contributes to the accumulation of human capital at both the individual and societal levels. It expands personal freedoms by increasing capabilities, which in turn fosters democratic participation and social resilience. There are two primary theoretical approaches to understanding education’s impact on human capital: the productivity approach and the capability approach. While the productivity approach views education as a means to enhance workforce productivity, the capability approach emphasizes broader cultural and social advancements, seeing increased productivity as an intermediate rather than an ultimate goal. Adopting a systematic qualitative literature review (SQLR) methodology, this study synthesizes peer-reviewed journal articles, policy reports, and scholarly books from reputable sources such as Google Scholar, JSTOR, Scopus, and institutional reports from UNESCO and the World Bank. A thematic analysis was conducted following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-step framework, identifying key themes such as education’s role in economic mobility, governance, and global competitiveness. Findings highlight that nations with well-designed educational systems, such as Japan and China, have achieved sustainable economic growth by leveraging high-tech and knowledge-based production. The study concludes that an appropriate educational system is a primary prerequisite for any country’s development, as it determines its position in the global economy. This review underscores the importance of context-specific educational policies that align with broader societal needs. It offers insights for policymakers seeking to bridge the development gap through strategic investments in education.