There is no doubt that over the past several decades the importance of a good education has increased.But which countries have the best education systems and what makes them so efficient?
It is disputable what makes an education system good however it can be agreed that it is one where the students learn efficiently and adequately in a “safe” learning environment.
According to “edsys” the country with best education system in the world is Finland.But why are they so successful? and what can other countries learn from them?
Finland has the 5th best grades globally in science according to PisaTests, But why is this? and how do they achieve it? In Finland education is mandatory from 1st to 9th grade (7-16),they propose a different approach to education, taking care of their teachers and having a good student to teacher ratio.Moreover Finland is one of the few nations that have higher education completely free.In addition to this Finnish school children don’t start education in pedagogic systems until they are seven but learn up till this age in “forest schools”.
What are “Forest Schools”?
Forest schools are an outdoor education model, that allows students to learn social, technical and personal skills.Forest schools have many benefits, including improved mental health, improved physical fitness and learning from experience and building confidence and experience outdside. Many nurseries are very isolated and do not expose younger students to these skills, maybe this is the reason the Finnish school system is so successful?
According to Kristian Wahlbeck and Esa Aromaa (in “research on stigma related to mental health disorders in Finland: a systematic literature review”) stigma towards mental health in Finland is significantly less than that in the rest of the world, it is arguable this could be attributed to their fantastic education system.Moreover according to the 2019 happiness report published by the UN (united nations) Finland is the happiest country in the world, with so many “high scores” why aren’t other countries replicating the system and following Finland as an example?
What are the worst pedagogic systems in the world and how can they be bettered?
The worst education system in the world is equatorial guinea, with a budget of 0.6% of their GDP on education.Although this country is much richer than its Sub-Saharan African counterparts its education is much worse and its government is heavily criticised for its spending.However with Finland being one of the 10th richest countries in the globe is it fair to make such a comparison without acknowledging other factors?
Other successful education systems:
South Korea also has an interesting education system where the teachers are paid good salaries and added emphasis is on primary education,moreover their students attend school seven days a week resulting in them placing 3rd in worlds best education systems and 7/70 in ability in mathematics and reading.
Another country that recognises the importance of teachers is Singapore, they score top in maths, science and reading globally according to PisaTests and take a technology based approach to education, whilst following south Korea in recognising the importance of high spending in pedagogic departments.
What are the benefits of a good education system?
According to global finance magazine finland has the third least amount of crime globally, and singapore comes in at eight, could such low crime rates be attributed to the success and quality of their education systems? giving their children a better start to life.
If so, i repeat again, why aren’t other countries following in their footsteps?
I hope you enjoyed this article and it left you with many questions, Let me know by dropping me an email if you have any requests about my next post or any queries about education.
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