School Bells Ringing - Back to Prepa Again!

By: Stephanie Bolmer

As Labor Day looms before you, offering great sales at the mall and one
last chance to jump in the pool, it brings with it a return to the hallowed
halls of your alma mater.  As you prepare to hit the books and the
cafeteria you know so well, we would like to take you on a quick tour of
what others around the world can expect when they head back to school
this year:

Italy
The Italians know how to spice things up,
and that includes their education system.
After going through a regular primary
program, students in Italy have a lot
more choice about what they can study
than the typical American student does.  
Like in the United States, you could
choose a route that would take you
straight to a job in a vocational school,
called ‘Istituto Profesionale.’  There’s also
an option for those who are interested in
more practical pursuits like business or
computer science.  The third choice,
‘Liceo,’ is split into four more categories:  
classics, sciences, linguistics, and art.  Although all of the Liceo students
must study math and literature, they can choose which path they are
most interested in following.  This is the choice for those who want to go
on to university.

Japan
Japanese students are famous for being at the top of the world in their
math scores.  Their education begins in the home at a very early age, and
there are a lot of television shows for mothers to watch as an aid in
teaching their children.  Most of the schools are public at the lower
levels, but once they get to high school, school is no longer mandatory,
and families must pay.  Despite this burden, virtually everyone in Japan
goes on to finish high school.  And they take it seriously—in Japan, you
might be surprised to find you have a class period set aside for doing
chores and are expected to take off your shoes and wear slippers inside
to keep the school clean!   

Cameroon
Cameroon boasts one of the best educational systems in Africa.  Families
must pay for books and uniforms, but primary education is free.  Until
around the age of 14, children are supposed to go to school;
unfortunately, not all of them do.  Compared to much of Africa the
education students receive in Cameroon is good, but many girls do not
get to have it.  There are a lot of chores and not enough good teachers
for many of these girls, who are more disadvantaged in the educational
system than boys.  The ones who do get to go to school study things like
household management and child care, manual work, traditional art
crafts, and stewardship.

Mexico
In large cities in Mexico, there are so many students attending one
school that they go to school in shifts.  Can you imagine waking up to do
your homework in the morning and then going to school at night?  That’
s what you could be doing in Mexico, reporting in at 2:00 p.m. and
staying until 8:00 p.m.  You would still be able to hang out with your
friends afterwards though, since the other kids are at school from 7:00 a.
m. to 1:00 p.m.  This may seem like a cool set up, but watch out—you
might have to take electives like music or computer class on Saturdays!  
It’s all a part of how prepa (short for preparatoria) works.    

Australia
There is a lot of variety among the states in Australia as far as at what
age children start school and if you even have to go to school (in some
states, education is no longer mandatory after age 15).  Of course, since
Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, their seasons are different than
ours, and their school year is too.  The school year usually runs from
late January until mid-December, so it is a more year-round system than
you might be used to.  There are also a variety of school options:  there
are Government or State schools, which are like our public schools.  
Government and State schools can be open, taking everyone in their
area, or selective, which are very competitive as they are more
prestigious than the open schools.   There are also private and Catholic
schools.  Some kids don’t actually go to school at all—those who live in
the Outback far away from cities have their lessons given to them by
their teacher over radio!  They radio back answers, and send their tests
and homework by mail.  This “school of the air” is just one more unique
thing about the land down under!

So, this year, if you are bored in study hall because you’ve finished your
homework and there are still too many minutes to tick away before the
bell rings, imagine what it would be like to be in one of these schools and
think of those girls who are there!