Policy wonk argues for larger budget during economic downturn ;)

I can't see why Arab countries couldn't catch up during a worldwide recession. Raising a nation's educational attainment isn't just about throwing cash at universities, but is also about changing families' aspirations for their children, which doesn't take much money. If a mother wants her child to read, there's nothing stopping her from teaching the sounds of the letters. The first step in making a doctor is teaching a kid to read.