Education In The Philippines Essay

Education is the destined formation in obtaining the development of the intellectual capacities of individuals. It can be defined as the process of socialization of individuals. Education is one of the most powerful resources to reduce inequality and poverty, it is a natural process associated with growth. On having been educated, a person assimilates and gains knowledge. Education also implies a cultural and behavioral raising awareness, where the new generations acquire the manners of being or the ways of life of previous generations. Malcolm Forbes once said, "The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one”. It is the common objective of educational systems in different countries to cultivate its citizens to become

Public schools not only in the United States but also in the Philippines are funded by the government. Thus, the government is the one that supports all the needs of public schools. Most of the students choose to study in public schools because they cannot afford all the expenses of private schools. Moreover, in private schools, students have to pay their tuition fees, books, and many other school materials with their own money. Some of the differences of between both countries are the academic year and cycle of grade level and ages. The academic school year in the Philippines is divided in two halves, the first beginning in June and ending in October, and the second, going from November to March or April. The whole school year covers a total of 40 weeks. On the other hand, the school year in the United States usually runs through early September and June, covering a total of 39 weeks. However, some schools use the quarter system, which is composed by three sessions: fall, which goes from the last week of August to December; winter, covering from January to March; and spring, which go from March to May or June. Others use a semester system, arranged in two sessions: fall, which is from September to December; and spring, going from January to May. Another difference is the ratio between the grade levels and the students’ ages. In the Philippines, a five-year old child is usually in the kindergarten, hence elementary students who are in grades 1 through 6, are 6 to 12 years old. Students start high school at the age of 12 and finish when they are 16. On the contrary, in the United States there is kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and high school. Pre-school is for children 3 to 4 years old, and it is usually optional. A child who is 5 to 6 years old could start kindergarten. The next level is elementary, in which