History of the World Bank’s Education Policy

The article is an attempt to critically reflect on the role of the World Bank in the formation of the international educational space. Analysis of program documentary sources of this international organization allows identify-ing the stages of formation of the World Bank as one of the most influential global structures in the field of edu-cation. Six primary stages of its activities in this domain have been delineated, commencing from the 1960s. Each stage includes a description of the content, goals and priority directions of the World Bank's activities in the field of educational policy. The article illustrates the evolution of the approaches adopted by the internation-al organization in formulating its strategy, transitioning from a utilitarian approach in the early stages to a holis-tic perspective at present. It is emphasized that the World Bank, initially conceived as a major financial institu-tion providing loans to states, has gradually transformed into a powerful tool for regulating global education policy. Conclusion dwells upon the fact that collaboration between national education systems and internation-al financial organizations should be structured on the basis of critical analysis and independent assessment of the consequences of implementing proposed educational models, in order to avoid crisis phenomena. This critical engagement is essential for ensuring that educational reforms align with the specific needs and con-texts of the countries involved, thereby fostering sustainable development in the educational sector.