There is a recent ranking, 'The Learning Curve', prepared by research agency Pearson, in collaboration with the Economist Intelligence Unit. The report combines data from other rankings, such as the PISA survey, with socio-economic data, such as the percentage of the budget spent on education and the number of murders
The ranking endorses the success of the Asian education system. But also the United Kingdom and Poland, a fast riser, are doing well. Finland, however, is falling: the relatively egalitarian education system there apparently can't match the performances in Asia.
According to the compilers, the Asian countries are models for a culture in which teachers and schools enjoy a great deal of respect, and in which "teachers, students and parents all have responsibility for education". Pearson thinks that the Asian model, "that appreciates effort higher than inherited cleverness," is a phenomenon that can no longer be ignored by the rest of the world.
Stamping, stamping
Yet education is often still traditional: if you want to get the best score in South Korea (and Asia as a whole), you have to memorize 60 to 100 pages of facts. The question is whether that is useful in the long term.
The question is also, do we want that for our children or do we want them to learn to think for themselves.
- South Korea
- Japan
- Singapore
- Hong Kong
- Finland
- UK
- Canada
- Netherlands
- Ireland
- Poland
So Finland is still the best of all European countries!
If I remember correctly from the 2012 Pisa results, Finnish students are also among the most negative in attitude about school whereas the Asians counted themselves lucky to have the opportunity.
In my opinion, the memory based schooling has very limited practical value and although a strong memory is helpful (I have a very poor one) a creative, problem solving mind is more useful for adaptability. I also find it interesting that even though a memory can be improved somewhat, schools spend no time on it which means memory talent is over represented rather than talent itself.
Many these days do not have the critical thinking ability to negotiate their way out of a wet paper bag.
The Dutch students are also among the most negative in attitude about school. I once visited Marocco with other school leaders and there the children were very motivated. I think because, in the Netherlands (and Finland also I resume), school is obligatory and in a lot of other countries it is not, so when you can go to school because your parents can afford it, you are very motivated. On average, Dutch children are also a little spoiled, they want to do as they please and school is a must and they don't like that much.
People feel entitles to education here I think and do not realise it is a granted privilege. They assume it will always be free yet do not understand how it is paid. I think they should teach a little more economics.