HONG KONG - EDUCATION

HONGKONGER AND PERUVIAN SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION

Nowadays, there is no doubt why most Asian and European countries are considered First World countries: they prioritize a lot the quality of their education systems. Currently, the best systems of education in the world are from Asia, in contrast with the ones of the developing countries, which is reflected in the case of Hong Kong and Peru. Hong Kong occupied the fourth place in the last PISA results, while Peru occupied the last place. Although both bear some superficial similarities, the differences between the Hongkonger and Peruvian education systems are striking.

In regard to Hongkonger system of education, there are three types of schools provided by the Hong Kong Education Department: government schools, private schools and aided schools. The education is divided in four parts: six-year primary, three-year junior secondary, three-year senior secondary and higher education. Students start to attend primary education at the age of six. After passing the examination of 5th and 6h grade, students can enter to junior secondary. When they finish secondary education, they take one public examination known as the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination. Depending on the results of this exam, students can be admitted to one of the many universities in Hong Kong. However, they can decide to receive post-secondary education, vocational and tertiary courses offered by different institutions.

On the other hand, Peruvian educational system differs from Hong Kong’s. In Peru, there are only private schools and state schools. However, it exists a huge difference between these two kinds of schools, because many state schools located in rural zones are characterized by poor quality, while private schools are very prestigious and highly qualified. In addition, the Peruvian primary education start at the age of six and finishes at the age of sixteen. Thus, it takes eleven years to finish school: six-year primary education, and five-year secondary education. In contrast to Hong Kong, Peruvian students do not need to take any kind of national exam neither when they are in primary school nor in secondary school. They can attend the secondary school they want, it does not depend on their grades. Nevertheless, if they want to attend university, they will need to take an admission exam organized by each university.

In conclusion, Hong Kong and Peru has developed different education systems. In the case of Hong Kong, its educational system is very exam-orientated. We think this country needs to focus more on their students’ learning rather than exams. And in the case of Peru, we consider that the government must invest more on education in order to meet the basic needs of state schools such as infrastructure, classroom equipment and materials. So the students who live in rural zones can enjoy a better education.