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People often have very specific ideas concerning what education is and should be. From the type of classrooms used to the format of the school day and the subjects studied, many of us have a clear impression of what education means. However, schooling can vary dramatically around the world. To illustrate this point, here are some interesting examples of education systems that break the mould.
Home schooling
While most youngsters are taught in classrooms under formal school systems, some children are schooled at home. In fact, this form of learning is rising in popularity in certain parts of the world. For example, as home education specialists Oxford Home Schooling point out, an estimated 150,000 kids are currently being educated at home in the UK alone, and this number is expected to increase by three per cent a year.
There are many different reasons why parents sometimes choose to educate their youngsters outside of the classroom environment. In some cases, mums and dads are worried that their children are falling behind their peers, or that they are being held back by their classmates. Parents may also choose to homeschool their kids if they are being bullied in mainstream education, or they simply can’t find a suitable school in their local area.
This type of schooling does place a big responsibility on the parents or other adults who decide to teach at home, but the internet has taken a lot of the pressure off. People can now access all the course materials they need, as well as extra support from expert tutors, over the web.
Laid Back Lessons in Finland
Another intriguing education model can be found in Finland. This small nation has consistently outperformed its European neighbors in international league tables and yet it follows a much less formal approach to schooling than most countries. Children in Finland don’t start school until they reach the age of seven. Meanwhile, once they do embark on their lessons, they receive free school meals, transport and materials.
Schools in the country follow a ‘no child left behind’ policy, meaning classes contain pupils of mixed abilities, and, unlike in most other nations, students address teachers by their Christian names. In addition, Finnish pupils do fewer class hours per week than school children anywhere else in the developed world and they don’t sit any mandatory exams until between the ages of 17 and 19. There’s a major emphasis on outdoor and practical learning too, and schools have considerable freedom to develop curricula that are suited to their individual settings.
This model has proved hugely successful, and many other countries are eager to learn from its example.
Solar-powered Floating Classrooms
In terms of sheer novelty, it’s hard to beat the solar-powered floating classrooms that can be found in Bangladesh. Run by a non-profit organization, they aim to provide uninterrupted education throughout the year, even during the monsoon season. The boats collect children from along riversides and each has space for around 30 students. In total, approximately 1,600 youngsters are being educated in this way in Bangladesh. The floating schools feature well-stocked libraries and internet-connected PCs and laptops.
Similar projects are also being run elsewhere. For example, children from indigenous fishing tribes in the southern Philippines are being taught to read and write in floating schools.