There are so many differences in the world. Recently I came across an article on the differences among the schools around the world. Some of the interesting findings are below.
Chinese Education Emphasizes Memorization and Learning by Drill
Chinese schools lean very strongly towards the memorization and retention of facts. This is demonstrated in the gaokao, the university admissions exam, which depends on what a student can memorize and repeat; analysis and critical thinking are not tested. This is one of the reasons why China excels so much in producing scientists, engineers and mathematicians.
Religious dress is banned in French schools
In France there is a belief that religion and public life should be kept as far apart as possible. Therefore, French public schools ban the wearing of any religious dress, a move that was seen as principally targeted at Muslim schoolgirls wearing headscarves, but that also affects Sikhs wearing turbans, Jews wearing yarmulkes, and Christians wearing crucifixes.
Ireland’s take on Catholicism and Schooling
In Ireland, there are 2,884 Catholic schools, which teach religious education from a Catholic perspective and may choose not to employ non-Catholic teachers or accept non-Catholic pupils. Many parents have their children baptized not because they are themselves religious, but for the sake of securing a place in the local school if there’s a danger it will be oversubscribed.
In Bangladesh the Schools are Often on a Boat
Bangladesh’s population is 165 million and 32% are under the age of 15, so the school-age population is huge and places a significant financial burden on state finances. Conventional schools have to close during flooding, leaving millions of children with no access to education, so Bangladesh has had to come up with an innovative solution: flood-proof schools on boats. Non-profits working in Bangladesh have played a significant role in providing these floating schools, often powered by solar panels, so that children can get an education even when the floods are at their worst.
Japanese Schools Teach Moral Education
Japan’s school system appears to prioritize producing good citizens. Moral education has been taught informally in Japan for decades, but it is gaining ever more prominence in the Japanese curriculum, being taught in some schools on a par with subjects such as Japanese or mathematics. The subject covers many topics that seem uncontroversial, such as compassion, persistence, and some life skills.
The majority of South Africans pay for their children’s education
There are very few developed nations in which primary and secondary school education is not provided for free for the majority of the population. South Africa is one of the rare exceptions, where the default is not a school funded wholly by the state, but a state-aided school, in which the state subsidizes education, but parents who can afford to do so are still expected to contribute financially towards their children’s education.
The South Korean school day is very long
South Korean students in secondary school can be at their desks for 14 to 16 hours. The standard school day is 8am until 4pm. But students in the last couple of years of school will then go home for some dinner, and head out again to a private school from 6pm to 9pm for intensive revision.
Dutch students all start school on their 4th birthday
In the Netherlands is that all students start school on their 4th birthday, whenever that may be, so throughout the year there are always new students joining. While this does mean that older students get more time to settle in and make friends, it does at least mean that students should be at a similar development level by the time their first day at school rolls around.
One Response to Differences in Education Around the World