"Educational Mosaic: Understanding BRICS States" A Special Issue presented by the Journal of Educational Studies Moscow

The Educational Studies Moscow journal is in the process of publication the special issue dedicated to the multifaceted landscape of education within the BRICS countries. The BRICS states represent diverse educational systems, cultural contexts, and socio-economic challenges, offering rich ground for comparative analysis and original research. The results of the education research reflect the current state of educational practices, policies, and goals not only within the BRICS countries, but worldwide. The academic journals, such as Educational Studies Moscow facilitate the dissemination of research results and developments in education. The articles in the special issue cover the topics of the patents in ed-tech, language policies, TVET education, and pediatrics education in BRICS countries, to name a few. In the proposed symposium, we would like to cover the topics such as the school-based interventions in South Africa, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in BRICS countries, and the systematic literature review of the Double Reduction Policy in China. Paper 1: Enablers of school-based interventions in a challenging space School-based intervention in challenging contexts forms part of a transformational process to address equity and the right to quality education. Evidence-based research intervention implementation has had limited effect in reducing learning poverty, perpetuating the cycle of intergenerational inequality. This study investigates the enablers of school-based intervention research (SBIR) in rural contexts, focusing on bridging the gap between educational research and practice to support quality education. By employing an integrated mixed-method research design, the study examines the interactions between intervention, teacher, and context throughout the implementation process. The findings emphasize the importance of adaptability, compatibility, and observable benefits of interventions, along with the professional and psychological characteristics of teachers, emphasizing the need for contextually relevant, flexible, and responsive educational practices. The role of student leaders is highlighted as a significant enabler in educational change processes. Paper 2: Private-Public Partnership in TVET: overview of current practices in the BRICS countries The paper examines the role of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in enhancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems within the BRICS countries. By integrating the theory of skills formation regimes, we conduct case studies of Russia, India, and China TVET. These countries are navigating unique socio-economic challenges while striving to align TVET outcomes with labor market demands. Despite differing historical contexts and governance structures, all three countries share a growing reliance on PPPs as a strategy to modernise TVET. Key findings highlight that PPPs address resource limitations, enhance curriculum relevance through industry involvement, and promote practical training opportunities, improving employability. Notable initiatives include Russia's Professionalitet, India's ITI transformation projects by Tata Technologies, and China's localized dual-system partnerships. These cases underscore the critical role of industry collaboration in bridging skill gaps and fostering workforce readiness. The paper discusses the potential for BRICS collaboration, emphasizing knowledge exchange, harmonized standards, and joint capacity-building initiatives to enhance TVET systems in emerging economies. Paper 3: Promises and expectations of the Double Reduction Policy versus its short-term outcomes: balancing the interests of multiple stakeholders China’s education system has traditionally been heavily focused on exams, placing a significant academic burden on students and financial pressure on their parents, while also increasing teachers’ workload. The implementation of the Double Reduction Policy (DRP) in 2021 aimed to alleviate some of these societal tensions. This study seeks to analyze the expected goals of the DRP, and the tension in the implementation process from the perspective of five major stakeholders of the DRP – students and their parents, teachers and schools, local authorities and private tutoring institutions, and evaluate short-term outcomes of the policy from the stakeholders' perspectives. The study aims to propose strategies to balance these concerns and evaluate the short-term outcomes of this policy. The findings from a systematic literature review reveal a complex interplay of alleviated burdens and emerging challenges for internal and external stakeholders of the DRP. While the policy has shown positive effects on student well-being and alleviated financial pressures for non-wealthy families, it has also intensified socioeconomic disparities and increased teacher workload. Furthermore, the deeply ingrained cultural emphasis on academic achievement among parents has raised questions about the policy’s core values and its long-term implications for educational access and quality of education. These outcomes highlight the need for adjustments to align policy expectations with stakeholder needs. These papers provide research overview of the developments at the levels of school and vocational education in the BRICS countries. The symposium might be beneficial for a wide audience of researchers, practitioners, and policy makers both from BRICS countries and beyond.