Task: Compare and contrast USA education system with that of Africa.
Education system is the circular, levels, facilitation, funding, infrastructure constructions, among all areas composing of pre-school level, primary level, secondary level and higher education. Generally education system comprises of everything that is set with the main target of educating the population in a country. This is a frame of learning experiences by which specific information preferable for authority is imposed to learners. These experiences concur and vary in various ways, below is comparison and contrast between the education system in USA and Africa:
Similarities.
Progressive educational levels. In both USA and African educational system there are three main levels of education. These levels are primary level, secondary level and higher education level respectively. A preparatory stage referred to as kindergarten or pre-school precede primary level. This is a transition stage from their home life to school life. Elementary stage composing of primary and secondary level mainly equip the learners with basic knowledge. High educational levels including universities and colleges are specialized and train learners on specific career line
Free primary and secondary education(Elementary education)- In both Africa and USA government offer free primary and secondary education through financing schools activities, paying both teaching and none teaching staff and purchase of instructional material. This is carried by the government to ensure that more learners are able to attend school and attain basic education which is offered in these levels.
Involvement in extracurricular activities. Both in Africa and USA education system learners are involved in extracurricular activities like clubs, games and sports, music, drama, debate among others. These activities expand the learners mind and equip them with variety of life skills. Competitions are carries out from school level up to national level with the winners progressing to the next level of competition.
Evaluation and certification of learners. In both Africa and USA educational system evaluation of learners is an often practice in all levels of learning which is carried out in various stages. Continuous assessment is carried out progressively. End of term or semester evaluation is done to evaluate learners understanding, retention and application of the concept taught for that specific term or semester. In order to be promoted from one level of education to another, final evaluation is carried out. A certificate bearing learner’s particulars and qualifications is awarded.
Special education. Learners with special needs are given special treatment in both USA and Africa. These learners are taught in special school which are equipped with special facilities. All the learning activities in these special schools are facilitated by the government. The learning materials to be used are selected and provided by the government.
Vocational institutions. These are the institutions set to offer technical skills. Both the education system in USA and Africa recognize and facilitate learning in vocational institutions. Learners join these institutions at their pleasure or through government placement. Government regulate learning at these institutions through selection of instructional material, final evaluation and certification of the learners enrolled.
Selection of instructional materials to be used in various levels of education. In both USA and Africa the instructional material including textbook are selected for all schools, this is carried out by the government though selected experts under a set board. The board is mandated to select the suitable content for learners at various levels. The content is organized in textbooks, these materials are revised often thus adding some content or deleting content that might seem to be unnecessary to the learners.
Offering of educational loans. Both African and USA students at higher educational levels are offered educational loans to finance their learning activities. The learners are expected pay the loan in instalments on their respective employment. Government chip in to ensure that learners from different backgrounds realize their dream careers by specializing their studies.
Differences.
Subject/ career specification. The education system in USA allow the learners to specialize and only take the subjects related to theirs career as early as primary level. This is attained on a close examination of the learner’s ability on different activities. Despite the fact that the learners go through all the levels, they only concentrate on subjects related to their career line while according to the African educational system learners only specialize at higher education levels. All the learners in primary and secondary levels in Africa learn similar subjects.
Focus on extracurricular activities- Education system in USA give high priority to extracurricular activities. This is to ensure that the learners are more involved in sports and other community based activities outside the classwork thus equipping them with variety of skill and physical knowledge while the Africa system mainly emphasizes on class work and less value to extracurricular activities.
Intensive use of technology- the education system in USA recommend, acknowledges and incorporate intensive technology in learning activities. This involves use of advanced electronic gadgets during teaching process as well as online interaction between the learners and tutors. This is practiced in all levels of education while in Africa less technology is applied in learning activities more so in primary and secondary levels where teaching and learning is physical.
Home schooling. Home schooling is successfully carried out in USA where the learners take all their studies at a family level under self-sponsorship and facilitation. The education system in USA recognize home schooling since final testing and certification of the learners is authorized. High living standards facilitate home schooling in USA while in Africa as a result of poor living standards home schooling is greatly challenged.
Government control over education system-in Africa national government take full control of the education system. A national ministry or board is set to make guide the national government on educational matters while in USA, governance in the education system is decentralized to local authorities like boards made up of elected members. These boards make independent policies implemented at various levels.
Sub clustering in high schools- In USA high schools are sub-clustered into, general high schools, vocational schools, magnet schools and college preparatory high schools while in Africa most high schools are general high schools. Based on various career lines and vocations, learners in USA join specified high school unlike Africa where learners join general high schools offering similar subjects.
Variation in higher education capacity and availability of facilities. In USA number of higher education institutions is very high and the institutions are well equipped all the necessary requirements for effective learning this creates a wide room for more learners who attain the best while in African the institutions are few and poorly equipped thus giving a chance to only a few learners to join higher learning levels.
Education system is a combination of both a set of activities, practices, norms and beliefs and a body of knowledge, including ways of conceptualization, sharing, expanding, proving, accepting and disapproving certain claims and beliefs in a specific community or county. Some of the factors involved in formulating, manning and implementation of the education system in USA and Africa are similar and also vary in following ways.
Government funding- in both in Africa and USA government facilitate public education through funding of infrastructural projects carried out in public schools. Government offer free primary and secondary education through financing schools activities, paying both teaching and none teaching staff and purchase of instructional material. This is carried by the government to ensure that more learners are able to attend school and attain basic education which is offered in these levels.
References.