In descending order:
10. United States, 61.3
The United
States’ access to basic knowledge index is 61.3, with a (relatively)
extremely high secondary school enrollment at 89.5, an adult literacy
index of 57.5, and a primary school enrollment index of 52.6. The United
States’ federal structure is decentralized, meaning that every state
handles its affairs individually.
This, in turn, means that access to
basic education varies from one state to another with local school
districts possessing the power to determine their people’s level of
access to basic education. Throughout the U.S. there’s compulsory
education for children between 5 or 6 years old and 16, 17 or 18 years
old depending on the state. In America, education is generally free
until the 12th grade level. Yet, in spite of the free access to basic
education in the U.S. there is growing illiteracy in the country.
Millions of adult Americans can’t read or write, though an even larger
number can only read 4th or 5th grade material. There’s also an increase
in the number of teenagers who drop out of in high school; so while the
U.S. offers a relatively high level of basic education to its citizens,
it could be argued that for its level of wealth and development, the
U.S. is under- performing in this area when contrasted with comparative
nations.
9. Poland, 61.4
Poland’s access to basic
knowledge index is, overall, 61.5. The index assessing women’s mean
years in school comes in at 59.2 and secondary school enrollment is at
59.2, while primary school enrollment is at 55.3 on the SPI scale. Adult
literacy in Poland is 57.8. Pre-primary education is compulsory for
children between 3 and 6 years old. Children are also required to attend
six years of compulsory primary education once they are 7 years old.
This is followed by three years of lower secondary education, which is
also compulsory. According to the country’s Constitution, each
individual has the right to education. Public schools in Poland offer
free education and the public authorities ensure that every citizen has
equal and universal access to education.
8. Germany, 61.5
Germany’s
access to basic knowledge index is 61.5 – meaning it’s a close leader
ahead of neighbouring Poland. Germany’s adult literacy is 57.5, primary
school enrollment is 56.7, secondary school enrollment is 60.0 and
women’s mean years in school score is 58.0. Children between 3 and 6
years old attend pre-school prior to compulsory education. Preschool is
not for free and children do not receive any formal instruction but
there is compulsory primary education, usually between the ages of 6 and
16. As in the U.S., the education system differs from one state to
another. Students in Germany must, by law, study a foreign language and
they are typically heavily examined throughout the course of their
education. There are three main kinds of high school in the country and
eligibility is determined by academic performance.
7. France, 62.5
France
is known worldwide for its inclusive education system, and the French
‘Lycée’ is now an international option. The index for access to basic
knowledge in France is a strong 62.5, with primary school enrollment at
57.8, and adult literacy at 57.5 on the scale. The country offers
compulsory education for children between the age of 6 and 16 years; the
compulsory education includes elementary, and the initial four years of
secondary college. Public education is available for free and children
must generally be enrolled in schools near their homes. 80% of the
students in France attend public schools while only about 20% are in
private schools. Most of the private schools are run by the Catholic
Church and the teachers are paid by the state. These schools charge low
fees and this makes them accessible to students from various
socio-economic backgrounds.
6. Israel, 62.9
Israel’s
access to basic knowledge index is 62.9. The adult literacy index here
is 56.3, primary school enrollment is at 55.9, secondary school
enrollment is at a strong 62.1, while the index for women’s mean years
in school is 61.3. The country’s education system is centralized and
funded by the state and compulsory education starts during the last year
of kindergarten and ends at the 12th grade. There are secular, Arab,
and Jewish schools in Israel, and the compulsory education is free but
in
some cases private funding goes towards the extracurricular
activities in schools. Students who want to enroll in science and art
schools are required to pay additional fees.
5. Sweden, 63.7
Sweden’s access to basic knowledge index is
63.7. The index for the country’s women’s mean years in school comes in
at 61.5, secondary enrollment is at 60.5, primary enrollment is 58.9,
and adult literacy is 57.5. According to the Swedish Education Act,
every child and young person should have equal access to education
regardless of socio-economic status. Education is compulsory for every
child in the country from age of 6 or 7. The compulsory education
includes special schools and programmes, which are designed for students
who suffer from intellectual and physical disabilities. High school is
compulsory up to age 15 or 16 and it’s also offered for free. According
to the OECD research, Sweden spends more than the average country on its
education system, spending about 6.7% of its national budget on
education as of the end of the last decade.
4. United Kingdom, 64.0
The
United Kingdom’s access to basic knowledge index is 64.0. The index of
women’s mean years in school in the UK is at 60.7, secondary enrollment
is 62.2, primary enrollment is 59.1, and adult literacy is 57.5.
Students in the United Kingdom can either attend state schools – which
are free – or independent schools that charge fees. The law requires
students to go through full-time education until they are 16 years old
and in the UK, financial incentives are offered to teenagers who
continue in education after the age of 16 to prepare them for higher
education or employment.
3. Republic of Korea, 64.2
Korea’s
access to basic knowledge index is 64.2. The women’s mean years in
school index is at a very strong 63.6, secondary enrollment is at 61.3,
primary enrollment is at 57.9, and the adult literacy index comes in at
56.8. Education is compulsory for all children in Korea. The country
offers free education for all children who are between 6 and 15 years
old and high school students who are between 15 and 18 years have to pay
tuition, which is subsidized by the government. Extra-curricular study
and parental participation in their children’s education is considered
essential, with ‘self-study’ sessions common. The citizens spend a lot
of money on education compared with other countries. Koreans spend a
huge 15% of the country’s GNP and 22% of their household incomes on
education. However, while Korea’s education system has been praised it’s
also been noted that it’s an enormously competitive environment, a
factor which has been cited as a factor in the high suicide rate among
Korea’s youth.
2. Japan, 64.7
Japan’s access to
basic knowledge index is 64.7. The country’s education system is
nationalized and the curriculum is developed by the Japanese Ministry of
Education. Elementary and junior high school is compulsory in the
country, where students must spend six years in elementary and at least
three years in junior high. The nationalized system ensures that all
students get an equal education; but it has been said that a lot of
pressure is put on students to achieve highly in the university entrance
exam at age 18, forcing a sort of meritocracy based on university
degrees. For its provision of basic education, though, Japan still ranks
as one of the most successful countries in the world.
1. Canada, 65.0
Canada’s
access to basic knowledge index is at an unprecedented 65.0. Its
secondary enrollment is 60.7, primary enrollment is 59.1, and adult
literacy is 57.5. Canada’s education system is controlled by the
different provinces, and the federal government does not regulate
education – there is no national, centralised curriculum in Canada,
meaning education can vary widely between the various territories.
Public education is available for free for every Canadian who meets the
residence and age requirements. Pre-elementary education is offered by
local authorities, but it’s not compulsory. Elementary education is
compulsory and it can either start at age 5 or 6 and until age 16 or 18
depending on the jurisdiction. Secondary education is also compulsory
and it takes between four and six years. The country’s comprehensive
education system has created one of the most skilled labor forces in the
world; Canada’s strong economy and competitive industries can likely be
attributed, at
least in part, to a strong, functioning system of
basic education despite very little hands-on involvement from the
national government.
No comments:
Post a Comment