Shazia Ali
A Comparison and Contrast of the
Primary Education System in Australia with the one in Pakistan
Word Count: 811
Teacher: L.Zhang
Education is the process of understanding and acquiring knowledge. Every parent in the world wants the best education for their children. According to Article 28 of the September 1990 United Nation's Charter "Rights of the Child", every child has the right to compulsory and free primary education. Both Pakistan and Australia are members of the United Nations, but there are a great amount of differences in the primary school education system between the two countries. Pakistan is a developing country with a struggling economy and is the sixth most populous country in the world (Wikipedia.2009). The country has been affected by two wars, the first in 1965 and the second in 1971. These wars have left Pakistan in a very unstable condition. The overall rate of literacy in Pakistan is 56.20%
(Wikipedia.2008). In contrast, Australia is a developed country and has never had a war on its soil. Its literacy rate is 99% (Wikipedia.2009).The primary education systems in Australia and in Pakistan have similarities in schooling age and the subjects that are taught, but differ in curriculum, co-education vs single sex schools, learning styles and school assessment and reporting system.
The formal schooling age is similar in both countries. In Australia children start formal school at the age of 4/5. The first year is called kindergarten followed by Year 1 to Year 6. In Pakistan children start formal school at the age of 4 which is called nursery. They then progress to Prep, (preparation) followed by Year 1 to Year 5. Thus in both countries students spend seven years in primary school.
The major educational subjects in both countries are similar. In Australia's primary school children are...