At first glance, it may seem that education in India and education in the United States are like two different planets. But, if you look closely, it turns out that there are many similarities between these countries. The most significant difference is in the approach to the choice of subjects and motivation.
Indian Education System
The education system in India has undergone significant changes in the direction of development and improvement over the past decades. The reason for this is the rapid growth of the country's economy and an increase in the need for qualified scientific and working specialists. Therefore, much attention is paid to all levels of education - from preschool to higher education. Getting a good education and a worthy specialty among the country's population is one of the vital tasks in life.
Preschool Education
Traditionally in India, young children have always been under the supervision of mothers and relatives. Therefore, the system of kindergartens in this country simply never existed. The problem has become acute in recent decades when both parents often work in the family. Therefore, additional groups have been created throughout schools, operating on the principle of preparatory classes. As a rule, preschool education begins at three, and learning occurs in a game. Already at this age, children start to learn English. The process of preparing for school lasts one to two years.
Secondary Education
School education in India is built according to a single scheme. The child starts school at the age of four. Education in the first ten years (secondary education) is free, compulsory, and carried out according to the standard general education program. Main disciplines: history, geography, mathematics, computer science, and science. From the 7th grade, science is divided into biology, chemistry, and physics. Politics is also taught.
If in the first stage of school education in India, the program is the same for everyone, and then reaching the age of fourteen and moving to the upper grades (complete secondary education), students choose between fundamental and vocational education. Accordingly, there is an in-depth study of the subjects of the selected course.
Preparation for entering universities takes place in schools. Students who choose vocational training go to colleges and receive specialized secondary education. India is also rich in a large number and variety of craft schools. There, for several years, the student also, in addition to secondary education, receives a profession that is in demand in the country.
Schooling takes place six days a week. The number of lessons varies from six to eight per day. Most schools have free meals for children. There are no grades in Indian schools. But there are compulsory school-wide exams twice a year, and in the senior classes - national ones. All exams are written and taken as tests. The vast majority of teachers in Indian schools are men.
School holidays in India are relatively short. Vacation time falls in December and June. Children's camps open in schools during the summer holidays, which last for a whole month. There, traditional creative educational activities are held in addition to recreation and entertainment with children.
Public And Private Schools
The Indian secondary education system has both public and private schools. Obtaining secondary school education in public schools is usually free. For children from low-income Indian families, of which there are quite a lot in this country, there are benefits in the form of textbooks, notebooks, and scholarships. Education in private institutions is paid, but education prices are pretty affordable for families, even with low incomes. Feedback on the quality of education often speaks in favor of private schools. There are also elite, expensive gymnasiums that work on individual programs.
Tuition Fees In Indian Schools
The cost of studying at an Indian school may vary depending on the chosen school. However, as far as public schools are concerned, the price is usually about the same.
For example, at Delhi Public School, admission to the school with all fees will cost 15,225 rupees or about $200.
In addition, each year, parents must pay specific fees annually, such as the medical fee, magazine/bulletin fee, assignments fee, maintenance fee, and others. As a result, parents have to pay 10,650 rupees a year, or about $130.
There are also special fees, depending on the direction older students choose. For example, classes XI and XII of chemistry, physics, and biology will have to pay an additional 1000 rupees for each subject (almost 13 dollars). The computer science fee is 1,500 rupees (nearly $19).
In addition, a monthly tuition fee is charged, which depends on the child's class. The preparatory class will cost 7,500 rupees per month (about $93), from the second to the fifth - 7,300 rupees (90 dollars), from the fifth to the eighth 7,400 rupees (almost $ 92), and from the ninth to 12 - 7,500 rupees. Chip-I Card and ERP fees are also paid monthly.
American Educational System
The US education system is characterized by flexibility and democracy: with a wide variety of programs, students - both schoolchildren and students - can choose the disciplines they study and change their specialization independently. Even at the university, you can move from one faculty to another, study additional subjects and create your educational program.
Preschool Education
Preschool education in the United States begins almost from the cradle. A child can be sent to a nursery or kindergarten at six months. There he can be from six in the morning to six in the evening. A child can be brought to kindergarten after school; by law, until 12, he cannot be at home alone. All kindergartens in America are paid, and the average monthly fee is about $1,200.
For children from three to five years old, "preparatory groups" operate at schools. At this stage, much attention will be paid to general development, socialization, and literature, since the preschool education system sets itself the task of teaching the child reading skills in the first place.
However, kindergarten and preschool classes are still optional steps. Compulsory education in America begins at school and lasts 12 years.
Secondary Education
Unlike many countries, there is no single educational plan in America. In general, the plan forms the board of education under the state administration, more precisely determining the board of a particular school.
School education in the United States is divided into three stages:
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Primary (grades 1-5) - children study the basic compulsory subjects, go in for sports and creativity.
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Secondary: Middle School (grades 6-8) or Junior High School (grades 7-9) - in addition to compulsory subjects, elective disciplines appear.
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Senior classes: High School (9-12) or Senior High School (11-12) - reduction in the number of compulsory subjects, maximum freedom in choosing the disciplines studied. Over the past few years, gifted students can learn in Advanced Placement programs. At the end of High School, an American student must take the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) exam.
Depending on the state, children start school between the ages of five and eight. As a rule, each of the stages of the American school has its building and is a separate educational institution.
The academic year in the American school is divided into two semesters. The duration of training sessions is 5-6 hours a day with a lunch break. Afternoon time is often devoted to sports, clubs, and other community services, a mandatory component of American school education. Grades are alphabetical: A, B, C, D, and F, where A is excellent, and F is a failure.
Unlike the US higher education system, which is the world leader, the school sector is valued controversially. On the one hand, the set of compulsory subjects is small: mathematics, English, science, history, art, and physical education.
On the other hand, students have a massive choice of specialized classes: from theater to ecology. This list also includes foreign languages. In addition, high school students are offered Advanced Placement programs in many schools: the most motivated and capable students can also study a particular subject at the university level.
Public and Private Schools
According to the type of funding, schools in the United States are divided into public (public schools) and private (private schools). The level of teaching in the state varies greatly not only from state to state but even within the same city. The fact is that funding for public schools comes from the district budget (most often from property taxes). As a result, schools in "expensive" areas are well endowed and, as a result, well-equipped, with a strong teaching staff and overall high academic performance. Since, according to US law, a child can only attend the school to which he belongs in the place of residence, such a system leads to an increase in the value of the real estate in areas with "strong" schools. Taxes increase and the school receives even more funding. The situation is reversed in "cheap" areas: lack of funding leads to weak schools.
Private schools are financially independent organizations that receive sponsors' subsidies and charge tuition fees. A high level of funding helps to maintain a high level of academic achievement: excellent facilities, strong teaching staff, and small class sizes make these institutions the "cradles" of future diplomats, politicians, and top managers. The education received here opens the door to most of the top universities in the world. It is worth saying that the number of US citizens in private schools is often less than 50%: they are of greater interest to international students. It is partly due to the country's immigration laws: a foreigner can only study in a public school if the family moves to America and has a residence permit or if the student participates in a one-year exchange program.
Tuition Fees In The US School
The cost of schooling can vary from state to state and even within a city. However, the average cost of attending a private American high school is around $12,000.
Moreover, many factors affect the final cost. In addition to the curriculum, parents also pay for food and insurance for the child, textbooks, school uniforms, attendance at cultural events, creative activities, additional English lessons, etc. And, of course, the cost of education is affected by the equipment of the classes, the quality of the infrastructure, living conditions at the boarding house, and the professional level of teachers.
The average cost of education in elementary school is $10,596 (for the whole year), and in high school - $15,077.
Education in US public schools is free.
Manohar Lal
Principal