Layers of Data, Layers of Skills Measurement in the E-Government Reform

This conceptual article investigates the rationales for the fascination with soft skills (social-emotional skills, responsibility, engagement, etc.), propelled by a large and diverse group of proponents, including international organizations—such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank—that have a long-standing history with promoting hard skills, such as literacy and numeracy. It (i) outlines several reasons why global actors promote the development of soft skills, agentic teaching and learning, and social accountability; (ii) traces the evolution of social accountability—the regulatory mechanism behind the current E-Government or New Public Governance reform—by sequencing the global public administration reforms of the past five decades; and finally, (iii) examines the challenges of social accountability in today’s divisive societies plagued by information pollution, anti-globalization sentiments, and distrust in government.