The country’s military might or its economy have no direct bearing on the quality of its educational system. In fact, the education system is what makes a country great. System which is capable of spreading progress into different fields. Economic growth.
Human Rights Advocate’s article of May 5, 2017, which focuses on education, lists the best educational systems in the world. Japan, South Korea & Singapore were at the top of the list. But other countries like Russia & Norway excelled as well. These countries were dubbed “the cream of the crop” because they clearly produce the most talented students.
What makes a system the best in education? This phrase holds true for the countries mentioned above. What made the top?
If you count them up, every system has a minimum of 12 years of secondary and primary education. Then there are four more years of tertiary education depending on the course. Each country differs in terms of stages, phase and compliancee especially with early years schooling.
In South Korea, Kindergarten is optional. In the early years, most parents let their children stay home. However, once they reach age 6, they must attend the compulsory 6 year chodeung hakgyo primary education. They are exposed to subjects like English and Fine Arts as well as Korean, Maths. Moral Education is also taught, along with Music, Physical Education. Science, Social Studies and Practical Arts. Then, they move on to middle education for three years. They then spend another three years in secondary education which is more focused. Tertiary School will follow. Students can choose to pursue a bachelor degree or a career-oriented course. Deva Dalporto (2013) says that South Korea committed to an equality system for education. In order to give all kids equal access to a good education, they established lottery systems. In addition, studying at SoKor involves intense work and is non-stop. Entrance exams are also held to high standards. The students are passionate about education despite the high standards.
Japan is next. Japan is divided in the same way as South Korea, but their vacation is only one month. Japan has a system of education that requires six years in elementary school, three years in junior high school and then another three years in highschool. They start in April, but finish in March. The majority of students tend to study 11 months straight. They have also been praised for their excellent system, which encourages students and teachers to communicate well in the classroom. According to them, this will allow for maximum learning, role-modeling by teachers, a genuine intercultural setting, and a rich Japanese input. They have found that using their own Japanese is their key to understanding.
Singapore, another country with a good education system, is also a contender. Singapore’s school education is based on the western core model. The first 4 primary years are the most important for shaping a child’s foundation. In the two-year orientation phase, students are assigned to different learning areas depending on their level of difficulty. Immediately after the orientation phase, students will be streamed into secondary education. Special and Express tracks are four-year programs leading to Cambridge GCE O Levels. Normal stream can take 5 years to reach the same goal via N Levels. All the details are the same. The only difference is when you choose to do it. In Singapore, tertiary education can take the form of Bachelor’s or Vocational degrees. Singapore has a very good education system because of its instructional regime. David Hogan (2014, p. 3) claims that Singapore’s classroom instruction is uniformly scripted at all levels. According to him, the teaching in Singapore was coherent, pragmatic and fit for purpose, and it drew on both Eastern and Western pedagogical practices. The classroom discussion is dominated by the teacher. They are primarily reliant on worksheets, textbooks, and teacher-centered materials.
The education systems of countries such as Russia, Norway and China are also considered among the best.
In Russia there are three stages of education: primary (Barneskole), lower (Ungdomsskole), upper (Videregaendeskole). Both Russia and Norway ensure that the development of each child is a priority. They are considered to be the best.
The strategies that are described are applicable to all subjects in a particular country. It could be in mathematics, science or English. The consistency of the program made it stand out.
It is a good idea to look at the education system of others and see its flaws. The Philippine education system, after the K to 12 program, has a compulsory kindergarten, 6 primary years, 4 junior high years, and 2 senior high years. Students can choose to pursue a tertiary degree in a variety of ways, including starting a small business, working, or attending college. According to a 2014 article on TeacherPh.com, Filipino educators must first understand themselves to be able to offer the best education to their students. It is a fact. It is important to assess yourself in order to come up with innovative ideas for teachers. The Philippines has no standard strategy other than the use of Manila Papers as a medium to display visuals, text and new technology. It is the teacher who decides what to do.
Araling Panlipunan is included as part of the Philippine curriculum. It is a subject where students tend to perform poorly. Students have low scores in AP classes because the subjects are boring. The second reason is that the lecture material is long and takes too long to read. Psychologists say that people listen to a lecture for only the first 5 minutes. They then do something else. Thirdly students do not seem interested. Motivation is not a reliable source. You can address the issues of low performance by changing the teaching style from conventional to something more innovative. Let them experience the peculiar. The teacher can use video clips to show students what’s happening instead of telling them. It is the teacher’s job to tell the pupils why this subject should be studied and the possible consequences. It is important that they are energetic when teaching because this is how students will be motivated and inspired.
If the Philippine Governement is ready to accept change, why not do it through education? This is a good idea for the government. It is up to the school, teacher and child whether they can achieve the goal of having the best educational system. Failure will result if one does not fulfill its role.
One can say that in History/Araling Panlipunan/Social Studies there is a possibility of becoming one. We don’t maximize it.
