Which country has the best education in the world? - The Global Story podcast, BBC World Service

[@BBCWorldService]

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[@DanielHYNg]

The fall and rise of a nation depends a lot on the education system of the country.

[@Integral77777]

It depends on many things. This is a narrow look in my opininon.

[@jessicalee5451]

I am Korean. 🤣🤣 Is it equitable for children to be burdened with heavy academic expectations to serve the interests of adults? Children should be valued for who they are, not just what they can achieve. To what extent is it morally justifiable for adults to prioritize financial gain over the well-being of children by subjecting them to intense exam preparation? and...... There are frequent news reports of teacher shortages in public schools across the United States, Canada, and Australia. These reports often highlight that teachers lack basic rights and are inadequately compensated. A similar situation exists in South Korea.

[@clementihammock7572]

I am with you. If not how to produce good, discipline and capable civil servants to bring progress?

[@DanielHYNg]

@@clementihammock7572 Yes, you are definitely right.

[@globalschooldevelopment]

Yes I agree that education in Korea is gone way overboard. There is too much stress and high pressure on students and that's why you will see many Koreans moving their children to Malaysian and Indonesian schools. Vietnam is also very popular and they love it here. We do have many Korean students here. It's fun to work with them and parents are way more relaxed here.

[@XShollaj]

I live and work in Singapore, coming from Europe! Here you can see kids at 18 doing advanced machine learning comparable to that of Senior in Europe. Just pure excellence!

[@EquuleusPictor]

My company has offices in Singapore and the local staff is underperforming other regions (London, Paris, New York, Switzerland) by quite some margin. It's not as simple as that

[@susuilu]

Same as in Nigeria

[@botheredbewildered5646]

And that no doubt is the end goal of education. Singapore is deficient in human capacity at the higher level.

[@Tpb247]

Is that good school education or just pure pressure! Never seen any Singaporean lead any Fortune 500 or any key world body. Or significant ground breaking discoveries come out of Singapore. They do create good employees though 😊

[@mercylinesei6539]

Is that truly impressive? I have my doubts. Too much pressure that denies kids the opportunity to be kids and explore hobbies as well sharpen social skills.

[@GKP999]

I grew up in Singapore. And now, I live in San Francisco. I am not impressed with the behavior of many teenagers I have witnessed where I now live.

[@Peter-mj6lz]

And I think we have to question why teens in different countries behave differently. It can be obvious like different amount of discipline from parents but the complicated question is why as it covers a lot of stuff like work life balance, energy, emotional moods of the parents and so on.

[@j.w.213]

@@Peter-mj6lz multi culture, black culture & moslem culture. those tend to lack discipline.

[@coolfunlover4321]

I think the best education starts from home the first 4 years of life or perhaps the first 5 years but if the kids don’t get that learning then you will get the google kids 😂😂

[@Atilla-m9i]

In the United States High-school is more than just academic education. If student wants to further their education they can go to universities and trade-schools.

[@RobertMJohnson]

Who are all more confident, more creative and more fun than your Singaporean buddies obsessed with material items

[@globalschooldevelopment]

I am involved in education in South East Asia and let me add the most valued point here which is not mentioned in this important conversation. Now I am coming from the Western culture and let me tell you the most important part in these children's learning is THE RESPECT and FOCUS, students here show their teachers and classmates a great deal of respect which no Western country is thinking about. How crazy our lifestyle has been expanded in Western culture schools! Here in SouthEast Asia, teachers walk into classrooms and they start teaching right away. 90% time goes towards teaching in the classroom vs US, where most teachers invest their 80% time in working on a discipline, dealing with arguments. There is a big difference in teenage life in SouthEast Asia and Western countries and for me this is the most important point which is completely ignored. Next time please invite teacher who has been teaching in different countries who can explain you the true classroom teaching difference.

[@faisalrazzaq6002]

Yes in Asia students usually show respect for teachers as well as elders.😊

[@СветланаЕфремова-ф1н]

In South Korea bulling at school is wide-spread

[@himalidealwis8555]

You are correct. In my office in Australia, I have a colleague who previously worked as a teacher. 20 years! She explained how she was happy teaching to students from diverse cultures. Her children had performed well. Then she has moved to a school closer to her house to give more time to her family, and had to teach students from Western background led her to leave her loved job. Less respect, bullying and worse grades are the outcome she has received and upon unsatisfactory job, she quit from teaching! She is a great Maths teacher! So educate kids to respect others first rather than making them digitally savvy!!

[@globalschooldevelopment]

This is very normal case, teachers here love to teach and thats because students are ready to receive. Most of schools here want Western teachers because they value Western way of teaching. But Asian way of management and social upbringing.

[@jiminswriter4209]

Southeast Asia is not known for education.

[@ATT-r3v]

I used to work as a private tutor in South Korea and my session was from 12 am to 2 am. The boy, 14, woke up at 6 and studied at desk more than 16 hours per day, which was NOT considered abnormal. Sure. They learn a lot. But do you want it? The boys and girls are married now but do not want to have kids or do not get married at all because they don’t want to go back to the hell (The children’s hell is maintained by their parents’ sacrifices, including spending their money for post retirement). South Korea’s current birth rate is around 0.7, which represents the nation’s gloomy future, and its suicide rates among young people and among elderly people are one of the highest in the world, which represents the nation’s gloomy present.

[@zenlokamaya]

Wait, what? children's hell...

[@Dina-ll4hh]

This is the best comment that puts the whole 20 minutes into the bin! 👏

[@annarold1709]

Exactly it is like saying that the happiest people are in Finland . I want to see a Latino living there in the cold seasons and without their food and love for family and friends. 🥶😅 its all about context

[@jamesh2578]

Korean rote learning is not learning.

[@sunway1374]

Ya. They do well in PISA test. But really their society and culture fail them. What's the point of a 'good' education if it makes your life worse rather than better.

[@sidPalma]

Answer at 3:25 ... East Asian countries e.g., South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong

[@badbadgilead2552]

South Korea??? Oh HELL no

[@sofi7807]

Add Taiwan 🇹🇼

[@seanray4526]

@@badbadgilead2552 what do you know about South Korea?

[@badbadgilead2552]

@seanray4526 I have a lot of connections to South Korea, I'm a teacher myself, and the conditions both teachers and learners go through is utterly grueling. It plays a part in their mental health epidemic and high suicide stats, a lot of these kids only getting 4-5 hours sleep a night as they are so burdened with homework in a highly competitive environment. The teachers have basically fuck all worker rights are go through grueling hours with little or no benefits like sick pay or breaks. My closest friend of 25 years just got back to where I live, NZ,after teaching there for some years at different schools. It's just hyper capitalist. Up to you if you wanna learn more or not!

[@ditsygirl5409]

Singapore is not in East asia

[@seasonmists]

You want the UK to thrive, you not only focus on equality, but also on quality. We don't want everyone to be equally bad, we want everyone to be equally likely to achieve the best they can.

[@ElioTheBeste]

If you say so, 😅

[@nom278]

As a school teacher from the UK I wholeheartedly disagree. There is no equality and no one thrives when your thrust into a classroom of children with SEND children and children with severe behaviour issues with no support and disrespectful and entitled parents.. half your time is dedicated 'fixing' these issues. The best and brightest get left behind....

[@gorillachen9256]

Family education is the key after all.

[@HumzaAdnan-k3n]

The government is making us go round n round of LGBT n racial discrimination roundabouts in UK here At no cost students should b above teacher. That’s the major fall i guess

[@HumzaAdnan-k3n]

@@nom278 discipline is key. Students are considered above teacher you can’t say a word to them. This lacks here.

[@bluebunny2343]

What is the definition of “the best education”? Is it receiving good “assessment” scores? Or is it creating individuals who function best for society as products? Perhaps, instead, it’s about fostering happy, emotionally balanced, and productive citizens. True education should nurture not only intellectual growth but also emotional well-being and the ability to thrive in life, both personally and within a community. It’s difficult to assign numbers to that and rank it. Accessibility and equality should be the next focus after refining what “the best education” means. Of course, what education aims to achieve varies across societies-whether in Japan, England, or Burundi. The best education for any society depends on its unique context-its people, its time, it’s resources and its needs.

[@Martin-iw1ll]

As the host said, they are seeking what is best for the economic outcome of the country

[@bluebunny2343]

Ok I heard that. So what is an economic outcome, and can we truly calculate its total impact? Isolating the effect of education on economic outcomes is challenging because so many factors contribute to an economy’s performance. For instance, natural resources, customs and cultural norms play a significant role and can create a bias in the analysis. To measure education’s impact fairly, we would need to subtract the influence of natural resources and other external factors to isolate its specific contribution. Only then could we begin to compare its true effect on economic outcomes across different societies. But even with adjustments, capturing the full complexity of education’s role in shaping economies remains a difficult task.

[@NayeemHassanAsad-t4u]

you got the point

[@jabreck1934]

I feel that I had the best high school education in the world. The Thacher school, Ojai CA Old western philosophy of education “ Teach a boy how to ride, shoot and tell the truth” (School motto) It’s appeal on a global scale is demonstrated by it’s alumni. Students from almost everywhere in the world.. all of Europe, most of Asia ,Russia, the Middle East, Africa and South America…. Everyone enjoyed learning about other cultures, perspective and even different opinion… I learned just as much from the students and the horses as I did from the curriculum.

[@KevinY101]

Well said

[@magzmanz7868]

12:24, the journalist is asking about the schooling systems in the US and UK. Yet he talks in detail about the US, but in the end, avoiding talking about the UK. Why? Even professionals don't want to admit how broken the schooling system in the UK is.

[@Who-lg9my]

education should be two stages. stage 1, basic skills in language, maths and conduct in manners, respect. 2nd stage, personal development to allow potential to be explored and realised, and conduct in motivation, integrity, responsibility and hard work.

[@Stuytz]

Science, critical thinking, public speaking, conversation skills, meta learning, finance

[@allysonyoung2771]

Why do Asian students do so well in America, Australia, UK? In this discussion, you did not look at cultural differences and attitudes.

[@wellardme]

Exactly right! The BBC is very left wing so they would avoid the harsh truths concerning the decline of education: a dying culture, the breakdown of the family structure, the indoctrination of political ideology, among many others. They talked a lot about PISA and that can't be 100% trusted.

[@Linkwii64]

Steven He KZbin channel his channel is the best example of how Asian parents bring up their kids. 😂

[@profoundintrovert]

Because Asians consider education as a privilege and not a right.

[@danieledwards9856]

Not even cultural- genetic factors. They’re coming into this with a presupposition of the “blank slate”. In reality, intelligence is (at least) partially heritable. Everything makes sense once you factor that in.

[@denjua2234]

Quality of life is a more crucial factor than education. A child that studies 12 hours a day might perform better than one that studies 7 hours a day, but they might also be extremely unhappy. Kids should have time to be kids. I guess the question is, is high performance more important than happiness?

[@ArmandoEnglish]

Yes, I agree with you. I think it has to has a balance.

[@Who-lg9my]

happy education unhappy worklife

[@ElioTheBeste]

I think, you didn't understand the point here!

[@greenchime4178]

Fact: The happy kids end up becoming angry grownups complaining how their jobs have been stolen by other countries

[@chengzhong5442]

I think the education system should be built to help children develop their interests in academic study, and they will be happy to learn by themselves, which is important for them to achieve high performance.

[@muhammadsadiqsafi435]

Education can change the mindset of every individual

[@ChristensenLow]

I’ve lived and taught in South Korea for nearly two decades. I’m a college professor with an education background. South Korea has a HORRIBLE education system that focuses on one test - the KSAT (Sunneung). When I get them in college, my students are robots who can memorize droves of information (and then forget it after the tests) but can’t function creatively or think critically. They memorize from early in the morning to late at night in cram schools (hagwon), which culturally forces parents to pay a lot to help their kids stay up to speed as the public schools expect them to have this. There is a saying in Korea that goes like this “Sleep four hours; pass the test. Sleep five hours; fail the test.” What is a test score if kids are suffering emotionally and psychologically?

[@footballsoccerlove1748]

u can say whatever u want, but Korea is doing well compare to any other nations. if u think you're clever, u should change your country's ed systems

[@lifegamerpro4033]

Korea is part of India

[@ChristensenLow]

@@footballsoccerlove1748 I don't think I'm clever. ;) I don't have all the answers. Yet, my wife is a school counselor and deals with the damages of the educational system here, too. I'm speaking as someone who has an insider look into the educational system and has an educational background. What benefit is being "the best" according to test scores when the students here call their own country "Hell Chosun"? I probably won't respond anymore to your replies as you seem to be more of a troll than someone who is willing to critically look at an issue. Hope and pray all the best for you!

[@01kida]

So true.

[@TeachersTVAfrica]

Today most countries are focused on Performance Based Education not Solution Based Education

[@sushmitaarunachalam4842]

Namaste! I am from India and for me the true meaning of education is what you are able to give to your nation and society from your learning and deeds. As envisaged by great saint Swami Vivekananda: education is the manifestation of perfection already in men which means education is the manifestation of your own Self, your own ideas and your contributions. We must focus on character building, moral education and ethical practices because these are the necessary traits which a child must learn from his/her childhood. Above all focus on creating a friendly environment where the child can learn and grow without any hesitation. Thank you for this podcast.

[@juanmeiling]

Namaste 🙏

[@robinsingh4027]

and us Indian definitely not providing said environment to our own Indian children at all.

[@sushmitaarunachalam4842]

@@robinsingh4027 first of all this is the responsibility of parents and then the resposibility comes under the schools and colleges. I am confident that we are somehow providing this environment to our children that's why such saints had originated from India and in the coming years we will definitely become what we belief. So be positive bro .. and stay committed to what you belief positively...

[@SW-fy8pq]

Indian biggest dream is to leave India for good, and Indian gives their best to western nations from they learnt.

[@sunway1374]

You are talking about an Ideal. Many Indians I have met cheat in their exams and studies. They don't care about the things you mention. They don't even care about learning. They just want to have an easier life, not doing anything too challenging or stressful, and make more money. They take their cheating culture to the West when they go abroad to study and work.

[@bethboyle1479]

Attitudes about learning and teachers are very important. There must be respect for it in order to work. It’s not about methodology. It’s about valuing the institution. Parents and teachers need to share that value for it.

[@s.7980]

Thank you so much.

[@rw63_]

Top 10 Countries in PISA Ranking 2022 2018 Singapore 1,679 1,669 China (BSJZ)1,605 1,736 Japan 1,599 1,560 Taiwan 1,599 1,550 South Korea 1,570 1,559 Hong Kong 1,560 1,592 Estonia 1,547 1,579 Canada 1,519 1,550 Ireland 1,512 1,514 Switzerland 1,494 1,494

[@RobertMJohnson]

On the contrary, US Asians came in second in this exam and US whites came in 7th or 8th.

[@SkepticalTeacher]

IQ

[@danieledwards9856]

@@SkepticalTeacherobviously, the entire discussion is pointless when the generic heritability of intelligence isn’t even mentioned.

[@kindface]

I would consider these rankings more reliable if they were factored by the student population per country. Small places like Spore have vastly smaller student populations and hence less dispersions of student scores and infinitely easier to maintain a higher average score than China. By sheer difference in student population size, China will never EVER be able to outperform Spore in these kinds of rankings. Anyone with basic statistical awareness would understand this.

[@ditsygirl5409]

⁠@kindface a smaller place will have more or less general high standards since it’s all urban settings whereas a bigger place may have huge disparities between rural and urban standards.

[@esmewei9215]

Perhaps the analysis could also consider all the cram schools, enrichment classes and tuition centres you find in East Asia. It's almost a parallel education system there.

[@JulieEnglert-cj1hv]

There are also issues such as discipline, individual student motivation and family support that are strangely not mentioned 🤔

[@mikeho-yen8247]

I lived and worked in Asia for many years. I found that many of the engineers in Korea and Taiwan, learned how to learn, but not how to think. i.g.: my engineers could instantly tell me engineering formulas. Sadly, when faced with problems, they did not always know how and when to use them.

[@MohammadHussain-s9b]

Manners is more important than subject numbers Japan is no 1 in education because they taught manner in early classes but majority countries focus on subject numbers which is useless

[@renataferreira8829]

Singapore is wonderful. I studied there for 2 years when I was a teenager and today I live in Canada. I feel so sorry fpr my kids, the education here is so poor. I teach them at home and use the Singapore Maths curriculum

[@bhuiyanhasib4742]

Overeating Study load is good at very young age?

[@renataferreira8829]

@bhuiyanhasib4742 If the method is good, they wont be overleaded. The youngrr they are, faster they learn and brain makes connexions.

[@beerharmien]

@@bhuiyanhasib4742Depends. I had Singapore varsity mates in the UK that breezed through with distinction. They certainly looked happy to me.

[@heidichan3610]

Yes, math is the basis of many stem majors in universities ,and poor math leads to limited career choices in the future.

[@saimaleon7115]

Estonia has an amazing culture of valuing education. At the beginning of the school year in the countryside, the entire village turns out as the kids walk in a parade to school and give them flowers. In the cities the families come to the gym or auditorium and celebrate them as the school welcomes them and introduces the teachers to them. They are celebrated with flowers and treats. How can kids not do well with such support?!

[@valentinkalinin614]

thanks goes to soviet union education system, not sure Estonia have any unique point

[@irynahaddock3132]

This is a typical Soviet tradition. Most post-Soviet countries have been keeping it up to this day.

[@Tamara-nn1wr]

​@@valentinkalinin614- Heard the same thing from another friend from Eastern Europe.

[@RobertMJohnson]

Estonia is smaller than Santa Clara county, Ca. It’s not a proxy for the US, UK, Germany, Japan, China, S korea

[@Tamara-nn1wr]

@@saimaleon7115 - Left from Soviet days.

[@Edgar2023ES]

The country that invests in its kids will have a future. The most important in the country is its people.

[@zaranor9891]

When I think about educational system in the UK, I do cry. My nephew was bullied in the school because he is autistic and his head teacher hit him several times and expelled him because he is different. I used to work in the nursery as a teacher assistant, teachers expect of children to be like controllable robots otherwise teachers shout at them. That's a shame!

[@zaranor9891]

My nephew used to be student in West Twyford primary school and his head teacher was Mr Shapland.

[@ilhambakhti1345]

This is a shame. How come that the headteacher hut him? This is a crime. Poor you . I have my nephew who is autistic too and I would like to know more

[@RobertMJohnson]

Damn that is criminal!

[@magzmanz7868]

10:45 What more evidence do you need? Use common sense. How can a 4 year old child be ready for school? Child this age still needs parents' attention and time to grow into a confident, healthy adult. 4 year old child is still attached to a mum/dad. Why break this connection in the most unnatural way? No school should break this bond.

[@DodoManager]

However, the east Asian countries let their 1.5 year old children go to schools. Depending on what do want: happiness or performance

[@magzmanz7868]

@DodoManager Exactly. The question is: do we want to raise happy, fulfilled future adults or robots? Depends on who's asking the question.

[@MarkBiberg]

Mr Mark with Modern Montessori in Champlin, MN. We watch the news each day and would enjoy a shout out. We are the Mountaineers. Thank you for helping us with the news. Mr Mark and the Middle School.

[@greeneileen]

It's interesting that multilingualism isn't discussed as a factor. I'm American raising children in Catalunya/Spain. My kids are trilingual and bright. A test taken in only one of their languages wouldn't give an accurate picture of what they know.

[@RobertMJohnson]

What does knowing multiple languages do for the economic future? Almost nothing else the US and UK and Japan and China would all be furiously investing in bilingual education

[@busisiwengobe2811]

Changing the standard for a good education as soon as you cant measure up.... brilliant

[@danieladeagbo2059]

Reading, maths, science, creativity test, soft skills, etc

[@thomHD]

In the UK you can still make a strong guess whether someone went to a private or state school just by listening to their accent for 20 seconds on the phone. This prospect would be more or less completely alien to, say, the Japanese. I wonder how true it is in other European nations.

[@aanshow]

I initially enrolled my child in a public school in England, but later moved her to a private school. As a well-educated parent, I carefully monitored her progress and how each school supported her development. The contrast between the two was striking in every aspect, from the learning environment and student well-being to the quality of education and opportunities available. What surprised me, however, was realizing that many improvements seen in private schools could be implemented in public schools without requiring significant financial investment. The real issue lies in the leadership and accountability within public schools, which are critical to children's success. While educational resources are now widely accessible thanks to technology, effective daily delivery hinges on strong management and leadership. Unfortunately, public school leadership often lacks this focus, especially in areas with large minority populations and greater segregation.

[@SirOwer]

Singapore also has the highest per capita spending on non-school tuition globally . So it's not clear how much of the student's performance is from the education system itself, or the after school coaching. Friends also tell me that in South Korea, they would attend a full day at school and then another full day at a coaching/tuition centre.

[@woontew9157]

There is also the parents’ coaching, role modelling and advising which also play a very big part in how a student approach education and the outcome.

[@syedmaricar9946]

No to propaganda , but yes to education to improve people's knowledge , health and social safety.

[@raya9283]

Is the test conducted in English? That would certainly explain why Australia, Canada and previously Scandinavian countries were fine, also Singapore. Even if it is translated into other languages, one needs to make sure that the translations of the test questions actually make sense in that language. Also, does it mimic the testing format in those countries? Whatever test format you practice is what you will do better in. So there are many parameters to look at.

[@RobertMJohnson]

As if translation is hard

[@staceygrosclaude7884]

I’m wondering about the correlation between parents attitudes towards schools and education, and a country’s result.

[@olalekanjuma4687]

Academic excellence is good but what is better is what the nurtured child can do in the end to better the environment he or she lives.And that is while parents and teachers need more collaboration.

[@lwy5222]

Singapore students are always outstanding and be the No 1 in nearly every international assessment e.g. PISA, PIRLS , TIMSS. I have discussed this with my friend from Singapore. She had been worked in government for a few year. She said the Singapore government will keep predicting the quality of manpower they need in further, keep reforming their education system, teaching method and materials to cater for the world change. Although the students in East Asia countries performed well, but their pressure and stress also high. Is it good for students? That's a question.

[@altang884884]

Exactly. Just look at teen suicide rates in all of those high performing countries and that will tell you everything you need to know

[@lifegamerpro4033]

They are chinies bots...

[@sawakohirai271]

Completely agree. It's concerning that in Singapore children are judged whether they are gifted or not at such a young age and because of excessive studying, very young children have bad eye slights. Early blindness is much talked about these days. Do we need to sacrifice our health for "good education" when we are so young???

[@TeachersTVAfrica]

I have to do a lot of research to understand more about PISA, PIRLS and TIMSS

[@Linkwii64]

A successful society is a society that can builds on the people who can lead it to success.

[@SharylForster-om5uw]

Thanks! Good to know Canada 🇨🇦 does so well 🎉

[@hatfire3]

I have worked in British schools for a while. The problem is UK is not recruiting teachers who are educated for teaching at university. Esp at primary or secondary schools most of the teachers are not teachers. They are not specially trained for teaching at university. And UK pays so low to teachers. In this circumstances no one wants to be educated in teaching I guess. Schools are good at teaching manners on the other hand. And I think thats crucial if you have a Kingdom :)

[@TeachersTVAfrica]

Teachers need to be prioritised

[@maureentravers3419]

Thanks For Lucy., in every aspect necessary for a good natured , intelligent, informative great interview, great guests, well researched. More of this please, and focus on the decline in England and Scotland which was historically better than most.

[@matchaa121]

*Good about Estonian education system: not that big of a difference between private and public schools, all schools provide similar quality of education. *Bad about Estonian education system: children are depressed! They have to study a lot. In a sense they work harder than adults who have 8h work days. Kids have to study in school and then go home and study some more. They should have more time for themselves. I am in uni now and honestly I feel uni is easier than high school was.

[@antonnnn464]

There is no Estonian educational system. It's an old day Soviet Union system that has been in put in practice in all former Soviet Union republic from Estonia to Russia, Ukraine to Khazakstan. It's based on respect to teachers, discipline, a high amount of homework, and competitiveness spirit among students (like in Asia). Teachers focus on high achievers in a class. If a kid is not performing, bad for him/her. It's unlikely that a teacher spends kore time with under-achievers. Such a kid would be forced to transfer to another school with a simpler curriculum.

[@jelenaa9838]

​@@antonnnn464If you haven't noticed, Soviet Union collapsed in 90s of last century (!) 😅 and each country took they own direction and focus of education, therefore there is a massive difference between current education system in Estonia compared to Russia... I would say as day and night 😅

[@Vihelik]

@@antonnnn464 Then why aren't any of the other former Soviet Republics not even in the the top 20? The Soviet legacy argument is is complete and utter BS. Estonia has a long tradition in education, it had achieved close to 100% literacy rate already by they end of the 19th century. Russia was less than 30%. Estonian results have nothing to do with the legacy of Soviet occupation. Teachers in Estonian schools were always ethnic Estonians who carried on, as best as they could, pre-occupation traditions. By the way, while Latvia and and Lithuania ranked in the twenties, which is is well above the PISA average, Russia and all other ex-Soviet republics ranked below average.

[@muuke]

@@antonnnn464not true, very different education now in Estonia compared to Soviet times, very technology-enabled

[@Aamrapali4480]

I think a best university education system is the one which promotes scientific studies and research..and allows full fledged development of its students

[@botheredbewildered5646]

What is the best school supposed to look like? What is the end goal of education? Do you want the eventual adult to be employable? Do you want them to be adaptable? Do you want them to be capable of critical thinking? Do you want them to be citizens who accept whatever is doled out to them & accept whatever authorities say? I think that’s what you want - which is how you land up with the South-East Asian countries.

[@eatdrinkrunwalk]

Of course Singapore lah

[@anthonymathews3872]

Brentwood College School on Vancouver Island is a great school. I sent my daughter there from the UK.

[@kannursafari2652]

World's best school is Azhikode West U. P School, Vaiparamba, Kannur Kerala, India. The reason why, the students from that school now working almost all the countries in the world except North Korea.

[@TeachersTVAfrica]

Quality education starts by investing in quality teachers, that's what the world has totally underlooked.

[@RobertMJohnson]

Starts in the home, boss. You could put the best teachers in the world in Oakland ca and you wouldn’t get the best results

[@RichardSong20]

I agree. Given the assumption of equal student talent, the education system's focus should be on improving teacher quality.

[@gbstp6048]

Thanks giving this info

[@Vidsandso]

ITs not about the education system only, its abut the willingness of parents, fairness of the system and the culture in the country. Singapore has it right

[@s.7980]

💯 agree.

[@mikiallen7733]

it has to be the country with most just social system especially towards those who are weak and marginalized

[@indranuryadin5753]

Many thanks BBC, very valueable explanations about quality of education and the PISA Test around the world. Regards from: Jakarta in Indonesia 🇲🇨

[@tictoc5443]

It pains me to write this but IMO the BBC does put out SOME valid content

[@williamwalker3837]

Why has Ireland, which ranks 9th, not been mentioned?

[@RobertMJohnson]

Because it’s smaller than Massachusetts

[@williamwalker3837]

@ With a comment like that I can safely say that you didn’t graduate from MIT. 😂😂😂😂

[@RobertMJohnson]

@@williamwalker3837 is logic hard for you?

[@abdulnasar4697]

Education with humanity and helping one another succeed is needed. Not the meritocracy

[@Gavurdagli_01]

Finland????

[@TeachersTVAfrica]

The quality of education determines the growth of any nation.

[@douglasemsantos]

I loved this episode!

[@kimsummers2581]

There has never been agreement on what the purpose of education is or what the role of schools in this is and I can't see this changing. This means debates about 'the best schools' will persist and provide fodder for journalists and politicians. I find these two articles relevant to this video: "...highly touted test scores in math, science, and reading are masking important failures in developing innovators and entrepreneurs" (Zhao, 2012) and "there are many things that large scale assessments do not, and cannot, measure. What they do not and cannot measure are often neglected, if not outright suppressed or rejected. But it is possible that what is not measured is more important for societies and individuals." (Yuan & Zhao, 2019).

[@teacherkiat]

I think what is not fully understood is not that “education” systems drive academics or achievements, it is the rigour and discipline that is being instilled. True there needs to be a balance between state needs v individual development, but the baseline that “education” imbeds into students is the simple matter of discipline, commitment and development of cognitive struggles.

[@ThomasMann85643]

PISA and TIMSS results are far apart. I think TIMSS must have some subjective survey info in it. It put my country Cyprus ahead of France, the USA, and Israel. But in PISA we are usually last in Europe. So what exactly is TIMSS measuring?

[@joyjoy5326]

Thanks n great program

[@bernstock]

Across the world they will teach kids how to be good workers and completely miss any education about how money works.

[@TeachersTVAfrica]

Indeed

[@mr.khayalvaliyev310]

Good education should teach us not to be racist, to tolerate all cultures, and to encourage leaders who promote peace and prosperity.

[@JrJ2016]

Their list 1. Korea 2. Singapore 3. HK 4. Finland 5. Canada My list 1. Korea 2. Singapore 3. Japan 4. Denmark 5. India

[@GMD3N]

ya but singapore has been topping the scores for many years in a row. especially science and math. Recently, even creativity scores were top

[@helenafactome]

Very interesting. As a teacher and mother of 3 boys I'm convinced that the family's views on reading and writting and counting (to name a few) are essencial, so much so children with no such background must find it at school. More and more children are in need of such an environment nowadays, though maybe many children need it all the time but schooling was not so important in the past.

[@safepethaven]

'essential'

[@clairedelune2011]

I wouldn't start formal education before age 6/ 7...

[@jennychurchill2716]

In South Africa children only start formal School the year they turn 7. Early education starts at creches from age 2.

[@SelfSustainableCity]

In classrooms bright, the lessons flow, But the heart’s true wisdom we must know. For when we learn from nature’s side, The soul and mind will truly glide. Beyond the tests, beyond the score, It’s in the earth we learn much more.

[@IrshadEdathnattukara]

Watching from UAE 🇦🇪!

[@georgemathew5453]

Its a huge topic. Glad to hear. Feel the time devoted is very less.

[@phil_the_explorer3068]

I think you missed the main point: what you teach. Historical countries like Italy, Spain, France, Germany spend a lot of time teaching history, art, literature etc. which are fascinating subjects but give you very little skills for working. Singapore, Estonia etc. focus more on building things, apps, technology, robotics, group working

[@SdmAngeL]

That's such a good point, I never thought about that before.

[@RobertMJohnson]

Supposedly Germany has the been vocational schools in the world.

[@GMD3N]

Well, how do u explain Singapore topping the "Creativity" assessments then?

[@andybliss5965]

This is true. Generally Europeans have a lot more knowledge of various topics compared to Asians.

[@GMD3N]

@@andybliss5965 this statement is so laughable. Europeans have this complex then get a shock when their scores in everything is mid

[@kathy9542]

Big difference between education and training.

[@YanQi.]

Singapore the best 🇸🇬

[@nabilamohdhussain]

explain daily in newshour British English terminology vocabulary with meanings in basic English۔thanking you۔request of people globally۔❤❤❤❤❤️😍😍

[@MorrowLanguageLounge]

BBC Learning English does this ❤️ There are also content creators who go over news stories for English learners.

[@ingeliappelmyr8661]

Why dont they talk about the countrys people willingness to learn? It differs a lot. A country with high standard and long time with no war becomes lazy in comparence to countrys that have people who wants to change the individual economic status. Estonia is a good example, they have a fighting spirit because of their historic background that Sweden dont. Sorry about my english…

[@vallashok]

Sean Coughlan says that the class size doesn't matter and the Asian schools typically have large class sizes and still do better. I believe there are no bad students, there are only bad teachers. So, if a student under performs the student must take extra care for the student and teach him or her in a way that makes the student understand. So, I believe the teachers and students ratio should be high and effective! Thank you BBC!

[@AlexGroverUnfiltered]

Europe and America invested into woke instead of math, science and English. Now they're paying the price.

[@Fuerz45atólica]

Great video! Education is the key to success. Let's discover which country provides the best education worldwide.

[@EthanZoid]

Home and parents is most important

[@kirowompeter1706]

absolutely right

[@mohammadbajwa5472]

Great insights

[@shamsahassanibrahim3468]

These are communities who are not interrupted by every single event in the world, they are taught by the same teachers, consistency, stability, families moving from one place to another not thinking about the stability of the children.

[@charzemc]

How is a good education defined?? Is it about how much useful information they retain, how well indoctrinated they are, is it measured by IQ, EQ, common sense or regurgitation of memorised data?? Should it really be defined by the happiness of the adult working population?

[@creativesource3514]

No

[@henbane2247]

I suppose if we look up what the PISA tests for, we'll find out

[@sergiochantayon7819]

I've always believed that the best education is one that OPENS THE MIND of the person [regardless of their age]. From that moment on, they will be asking for more because motivation/hunger will come from within. Education is a tool, and HOW IT IS USED depends on the culture of the people [some old writings can help us understand]. In the West, Aesop's "Fables" stress the individual, whose nature we have to accept, and learn to work around it, to attain our own individual goals. Smith's "Wealth of Nations" suggests [to many] that by looking for our own interests, each one is contributing to the benefit of society as a whole. In the far East, we have Confucius' "Analects" that are more normative/prescriptive than "positive"/descriptive. Authority and respect are stressed, as well as a sense of community [not individualistic]. The point, here, is which system is more efficient. It seems to me that the West is less collaborative, since each team member could be driven by the "dog eat dog" sentiment. However, in the far East the respect can turn into acceptance of dogma, that works against creativity. Like in all systems [human creations], the degree of perfection is limited by the "perfection" of their creators, and always NEED TO BE MONITORED. [Therefore, my refusal to give decision power to AI]

[@kelvin.008]

The majority of well do do Singapore kids have extra tuition which can cost up to USD4000 per mth for higher levels.. Parents coach their kids daily and even take leave when the exams are near.😅

[@jin_asap]

This is easy. Asian countries, such as China, Singapore, Skorea, etc

[@강민주-v8e]

So beneficial. As a person who have interests in education, it's a quite interesting interview.

[@amontano7644]

School education ought to include Civics and Moral education, like in Singapore.

[@KrishnadasMenon-p6g]

Its high time people stopped blindly assuming that european nations have good school educational system..

[@anchored555]

Bingo! I detect some discomfort in some of the comments that the top ranked educational systems are actually not western but East Asian. How could that possibly be true?!😂😂😂

[@satyanarayanaatluri19]

Excellent video

[@robertgittings8662]

*Maybe that is why some countries are on the raise and some countries are on the decline*

[@WendyNelson-g9r]

No one is talking about team work, creativity, lateral thinking , sense of wonder, character development. Academics are important but in isolation do not make a person well educated.

[@Leila.1999]

4:43 9:52 12:56

[@s.7980]

Taking curiosity, initiative, respect and focus, cultivate and balance these values early in elementary school, train young people who are passionate about making a difference, to master/major in the subjects they will be teaching. Add character and civics education. Treat a new generation of young leader/teachers with respect. Perhaps then our children will no longer suffer…

[@cindym4902]

Depends on how one defines "education": good at exams (like exam machines) and respect for themselves/societies. UK has an excellent education system as so many foreign students come over and benefit from the education tremendously. Only UK people are complaining about their own education system as some students simply don't want to study anyway.

[@handyvickers]

What about the DESIRE to learn, and AMBITION..?? The feeling I get is that so many kids from a western culture don't see the need to sit in classrooms to learn. They see so many influences earn a living from KZbin or whatever, and feel they can just do the same. Why be an engineer or doctor, if you can sit at home with a laptop? They also appear to think that knowledge isn't important. They can simply Google something. Whereas Eastern kids appear to want to excel in learning, and have ambition to become the best they can be. Is this a true reflection on the situation?

[@terryowings5667]

Lucy Hockings is a kiwi girl from the Canterbury region in the South Island of New Zealand!

[@user-user-rxtxpxdx]

Parents are the best teachers and the raw, honest nature of a family offers the best education.

[@СветланаЕфремова-ф1н]

Only in terms of their morals and way of life

[@blixten1982]

What do you think education is? Teachers go to post secondary school for years to learn pedagogy. So would you say the same about other professional disciplines? Are parents the best doctors and the raw, honest nature of family offers the best medicine?

[@user-user-rxtxpxdx]

@@blixten1982 no that is where you learn ethics, without it your PhD didn't make sense

[@ignatiuschua5268]

Remember, USA has 320 million people whilst Singapore has 6 million. If USA has 1% super bright student, that would be 3.2 million. Ever if Singapore has 20% super student, that would be 1.2 million. Of course it would be easier to find leaders of corporation from USA over Singapore. It is a number game although education system and results are much much better in Singapore.

[@teflerchina.2987]

I taught for 16 years in Chinese schools from Kindergarten to High school Most of the time, 12 years at one school, was with grades one to six though. The students were always attentive and willing to learn and ask questions if they had trouble understanding some part of the lesson. Many times I was without a Chinese teaching assistant yet the students were well behaved. I did have some who were not interested and were noisy until I stopped what I was doing and made them stand for a while. However, I never forced them to learn or criticised them as long as they were quiet and didn't disturb those who wanted to learn. I generally found that with an assistant there was a tendency for the assistant to answer the questions I asked the students so the students did not apply their thinking skills. I played a lot of games with them related to word and sentence learning and was surprised at how quickly they picked up the new words and worked together in teams to solve the questions. In the exams for oral and comprehension English the majority of them got between 60 and 100% at the end of Semester testing.

[@mkleng]

Interesting. Do you know if parents shout and scream at their kids’ faces to teach them or push them (even beat them sometimes) to focus, be discipline, learn, etc? Parents seem to do this in western worlds justifying that this is the best way ie the Asian way that worked as advised by their own parents in their country of origin.

[@teflerchina.2987]

@@mkleng I have seen plenty of cases and videos of parents screaming at their kids for not being able to solve mathematical problems. They think that cos they can do it the child should be able to do it. Children are not mini adults with the same brain capacity. I have commented many times too on not shouting at a child but encourage them. Let them get confidence in solving problems. Help them instead of criticising.