1. Finland
It’s no surprise that Finland tops the list for the best education system in the world. They consistently had the best education system for many years now and this doesn’t look like changing anytime soon.
Fins have some of the highest school completion rates of any Nation, which contributes to their ranking. An average of 100% of kids finish primary school in Finland, and 99% of kids finish secondary school (this is 1st to 12th grade in the US).
2. Denmark
Closely behind Finland in the competiton for the best education system comes Denmark, which makes sense as Scandinavian countries have always had a good reputation for their schooling prowess. The Danes actually are have a better average score at primary level maths than the Fins, but they comes second best in pretty much every other area.
3. South Korea
Known for producing some of the most intelligent people in the world, South Korea continues to be a pioneer in Asia for education. In South Korea, kids go through six years of primary school, followed by three years of middle school, and then onto another three years of high school. South Korea excels especially in it’s low employment rate in comparison to the other top countries.
4. Hong Kong
4th in the list of the best education systems is Hong Kong. The private schools in Hong Kong are known for carrying a very high price, however the public schools in Hong Kong have a fantastic reputation also. Funnily enough, the Hong Kong education system is based largely off of the British education system, but it continues to rank higher than Britain is terms of ranking.
5. Norway
Another country known for it’s very low unemployment rate is Norway – much of their employment is related to the natural resources that the country has. Teaching in Norway is comprehensive, but also designed for children not to feel overwhelmed. Kids get to have a 10 minute break at the end of each hour in mnay schools across Norway. Plus with higher education being free in Norway, students are encouraged and even expected to continue their studies past the age of 18.
6. Slovenia
Education is very important to Slovenians, so it’s not that surprising that their education system is one of the best in the world. Though many Slovenians choose not to go to college, they have very high completion rates at high school level. With a population of only 2 million, it’s fair to say they’re showing the rest of central Europe how it should be done.
7. Israel
Another country which many might not think of when considering top education systems is Israel. However, Israeli’s are known for placing a very high focus on education, with them having some of the highest amount of school days per year for children. Of course, education is compulsory throughout a child’s youth with 100% average completion rates at primary and middle school.
8. Sweden
Sweden is another Scandinavian country that has been chasing Finland for the title of best education system for many years now. Though they haven’t managed to catch them yet, they still have one of the top education systems in the world. Many people think of Sweden as having one of the top education systems as historically they have always been known for their education policies.
9. United Kingdom
The United Kingdom comes in at 9th place with it’s education system, which is often thought of as the standard, as many companies have taken influence from the British education system, especially private schools in Asia. Children go to school from 5 years of age up to 16 years of age in England divided into two different schools, primary and secondary school.
10. Poland
The final country to make the list is Poland, who have been steadily climbing up the list the past few years. Officially primary school starts quite late in Poland at seven years of age. Polish children have especially high reading levels, perhaps because English as a second language helps children to develop their reading skills at a younger age.
Where does the United States rank?
United States actually ranks 20th in the World for it’s education system. Whilst this may seem low, it’s actually not that bad when you consider the number of countries in the world. In terms of prestige, the United States and the United Kingdom are still thought of to be the best. This is likely due to their higher education, with both countries dominating the University rankings for many years with universities like Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard.
