COMPARATIVE EDUCATION

This is the study of various education systems beyond national

border in order to understand their similarities and differences
their reason.
IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING C.E
 To learn how different societies have endeavored of to
educate their people
 To acquire better understanding of our own education
system.
 Learn how our own system has been influenced by others.
 Foster clear understanding of our own role in education
process.
 Helps one to be objective in making judgment and this in
turn leads to international consciousness.
 Helps to understand the process of donating and receiving
knowledge.
 Helps us benefit from the education experiences of others.
RESOURCES AND AIDS OF C.E
For one to acquire competence in C.E a student require first hand
information of many education systems. Therefore one needs to:
 Visit institution and through observation or participating or
both familiarize in them.
 Study all relevant documents available like commission
reports.
 Personal contact and discussion with education officials.
HISTORY OF COMPARATIVE EDUCATION
It has been practiced for many centuries and its accounts have
been found in documents of early historical period; however there
are four phases of development.
This includes:
 The period of travelers
 Period of pioneers
 Period of philosophers
 Contemporary period.
THE PERIOD OF TRAVELERS
Covers all centuries up to 1917 and it is referred to as prehistory
of C.E.
Various European who travelled abroad and wrote articles and
books about education
They published the famous essay “plan and preliminary view for
the C.E”. However it had several shortcomings
 It was mostly descriptive.
 It was not systematic.
 They were influenced by writers biases
 Had obvious exaggeration.

PERIOD OF PIONEERS 1817-1914

The first effort to systemize C.E was in 1917 by Markatoine and
Julienne de Paris.
THE PERIOD OF PHILOSOPHERS 1914-1945.
Covers period between two world wars
Philosophers and historians of this period advocated for more
comprehensive and analytical study that had greater explanation.
METHODOLOGY IN COMPARATIVE EDUCATION
1. DESCRIPTIVE/ STATISTICAL METHOD.
It’s covers involves collection, interpretation, verification and
comparison of data in education using statistical analytical charts
to facilitate borrowing of useful lessons.
SHORTCOMINGS
 Unreliability of statistical data since researcher may
exaggerate information.
 Disregard of social influences on education
 Verification of data in international studies is not always
available due to travel expenses.

2. SELECTIVE CULTURAL BORROWING METHOD.

It is based on the assumption that it is possible and prudent to
study foreign systems to improve one’s own as long as it is
done critically and systematically.
€The main procedures are collection of data description and
comparison of educational data.
3. HISTORICAL PERIOD.
It was emphasized that education policies and practices have
been both cause and effects to be found in each
society/country unique historical experiences.
 Scholars advocated for the development of science of C.E to
discover the universal historical causes of education practices
and to establish laws of education.
4. COMPARATIVE/SYSTEMATIC AREA STUDY METHOD.
It was developed by George Beredy.
It uses interdisciplinary approach to systematically survey and
analyzes education in different ways to understand the
similarities and differences before borrowing and prediction can
be attempted.
MAIN STEPS IN SYSTEMATIC AREA METHOD.
i. Description of aspects of education
ii. Interpretation and explanation using the interdisciplinary
approach.
iii. Classification/ juxtaposition of contrasting of comparable
features.
iv. Comparison
v. Conclusion and generalization focusing on the course of
similarities and differences.
5. PROBLEM SOLVING APPROACH METHOD.
It was developed by Brian Holmes and based on five stages for
critical thinking which includes:
 Identification of the problem.
 Analysis of the problem
 Proposed problems solution.
 Specification of the context
 Comparison and conclusion.
6. SCIENTIFIC APPROACH METHOD.
The method recommends the following procedures:
a. Problem identification and literature review.
b. Definition of concepts terms and indicators.
c. Selection of units of study.
d. Collection and selection of data.
e. Data analysis
f. Interpretation of findings.
g. Drawing conclusions.
FACTORS THAT DETERMINE NATIONAL CHARACTER
National character of a given education system is affected by
many factors some of them include:
 Geographical
 Economic
 Language
 Historical
 Cultural
 Technological
 Religious
 Political
GEOGRAPHICAL FACTORS
 Geography determines the nature of schools system.
 It determines the nature of school buildings
 Climate affects the accessibility of schools by children.
 Temperatures extremes in Europe affects the time in which
children go to school
 It also affects the population distribution hence the number
of schools.
 ECONOMICAL FACTORS
The more the government invests in education by provision
good school equipments the more effective the system will be.
Formal education is possible where productive exceed
consumption.
In third world countries where even paying teachers is a
problem education system will be of low quality compared to
the developed.
POLITICAL FACTORS
Political philosophies adopted by countries determine their
features of their education system.
In socialist philosophy the state has full control of education
and curriculum.
This enables the state to put emphasis in certain areas of the
curriculum e.g. science, political indoctrination military training
among others.
USA has a decentralized system of education based on the
capitalist political philosophy of the country.
Education in this case is used as a mean to achieve national
unity in the country.
GLOBAL TRENDS IN EDUCATION
Educational issues are global and they influence educational
systems all over the world.
The issues addressed by the world government include:
  Educational for all.
 Universal primary education
 Gender issues.
 Equity, access and retention.
 Environmental education.
1. EDUCATION FOR ALL
It is accepted by the U.N.O that everyone should have access to
quality education for human survival.
This is because education equips one with skills to improve
standards.
It was agreed internationally that:
 To provide free primary education for all.
 To provide equal education opportunity for both boys and
girls.
 To reduce illiteracy by a half through adult illiteracy
programs out of school learning programmes.UNO though
its agencies such as world Bank, UNESCO,UNEP,UNICEF
have provided technical and financial expertise awards
E.F.A.

2. THE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION

UPE was to be achieved by most countries by 2005 although this
was not totally realized.
UNICEF has endeavored to make this reality by supporting
countries in their policy making and implementation process. It
provides multi sectored supports which include funs and technical
advice on sector wide approaches to education planning.
It also shares data on children’s education status in different
countries.
UNICEF also encourages countries to adopt the following in
pursuit of primary education include:
 Provision of education to out of school children.
 Elimination of school fees which is a barrier to education.
 Provision of support to poor family to retain children in
school and fight child labor.
 Provision of school feeding program for poor children.
 Education of child with disabilities.
 Empowerment of women in order to break the cycle of
poverty and illiteracy.
 Involvement of local community in education management to
improve accountability.
 Provision of education in conflict and post-conflict zones e.g.
Somalia, Siela-leone, Iraq Sudan e.t.c.
 Expansion of post primary education to enable children to
acquire skills for effective living.
3. GENDER ISSUES

 Equal education to both groups.

 Making all written materials gender friendly.
 Provision of equal education opportunities.
 Discouraging cultural factors that hinder
 Provision of facilities which enables the girls to be
maintained in school .e.g. gender desk, sanitary towels.
 Empowering women through affirmative action’s where
women representation is consciously addressed e.g.
employment, education and training.
 EQUITY IN ACCESS AND RETENSION
Equity means access in education to all.
Retention means that once education is accessed structures
should be put in place to ensure there is retention and
compression to avoid drop outs and wastage through equal
distribution of resources and distribution.
There are various alternative teaching approaches which
includes: 1.Mobile schools
2. Multi-grade teaching
3. Distance learning
4. Asserted learning
MOBILE SCHOOLS
It is situation where teachers follow pupils to where they go or
located /to where their parents come.
They are mostly in arid in semi arid areas.
FEATURES OF MOBILE SCHOOLS
 Found in areas with difficult terrain and poor means of
communication.
 Teachers for mobile schools are recruited from pastoralists.
 Teachers are not paid a salary by are paid in the kind by the
family.
 Teaching materials are carried on camel back as the family
moves.
 Subjects taught are basics e.g. Kiswahili, math, religion,
mother tongue.
  Children learn very early in the morning before
livestock are released and evening after coming back.
ADVANTAGES
 Children from those regions still access education
 Gender issues are addressed since boys and girls learn
together.
 There is involvement of learners.
DISADVANTAGES
 Inadequate trained teachers.
 Too much movement can demoralize the teachers and
learners.
 Inadequate teaching and learning materials.
 Poor learning environment.

MULTI- GRADE TEACHING

It refers to the teaching of people of different grades in the same
classroom.
They are often referred to as combination classes.
REASONS FOR MULTI-GRADE TEACHING.
 Inadequate teachers e.g.
 Where there are fewer pupils.
 Where there are fewer teachers
 Inadequate resources to hire to the number of
teachers needed.
 Uneven distribution of teachers in some areas.
  Population size therefore low pupil enrollment.
 Cultural factors where some parents do not go to
school to intermingle with others.
ADVANTAGES
 Increases learning opportunities ensuring people are taught.
 It is cost effective since few teachers are required to handle
a school.
 Promotes cooperation between different age groups and
fosters positive attitude.
 Allows flexible learning progression since a child can be
easily promoted.
 Promotes independent learning thereby increasing pupils
self esteem.
 It is an economic way of providing education among the
isolated communities.
DISADVANTAGES
 Inadequate trained teachers in multi-grade teaching.
 Maintaining discipline is difficult
 Syllabus coverage may be jeopardized by combining the
grade
 It is involving for the teachers since they need to prepare
adequately.
 Difficult to keep all grades in school all the day
 Teachers are often overworked.
THE DOUBLE SHIFT SYSTEM
It is an approach where people of the same level attend lessons
in two shifts i.e. morning and afternoon.
It is used where enrollment, shortage of classrooms and teachers
ADVANTAGES
 Reduces overcrowding hence a better learning environment.
 Reduces land demand especially in slums and towns where
there is a little expansion area.
 Existing physical facilities are better utilized
 Same number of teachers will be required hence saving on
the government.
DISADVANTAGES
 Inadequate preparation by teachers
 Absenteeism especially in afternoon sessions.
 Difficulty in the allocation of timetables.
 Indiscipline among the students.
DISTANCE LEARNING
It refers to learning outside the classroom situation without
necessarily coming face to face with the teacher or
instructor.
In general terms it is used refer computer enhanced learning.
It is situated to distance learning and is flexible learning and also
be used in conjunction to mean.
Broadcasting – it is the distribution of audio or visual signals
which transmit programs to an audience.
Teleconferencing – it is a live exchange and circulation of
information between people who are far from each other.
Tape recorder – it is an audio storage machines that records
stores and plays back using magnetic tape.
ADVANTAGES
 It is cost effective as it is manned by few teachers.
 It can be accessed by very many people.
 It easies work especially where there is shortage of
teachers.
 Learners take initiative to learn to become self directive and
analyze issues.

CHALLENGES/DISADVANTAGES OF E- LEARNING
 Requires self motivated student to succeed.
 Limits teacher learner interactions.
 Equipments are very expensive.
 Lack of air waves and therefore difficult in radio transmission
in some areas.
 Some students or teachers may overly on technology and
therefore do not do research.
 It is only conducted in those areas with electricity

ENVIRONMENT EDCATION AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

E.E is the learning process of recognizing values and clarifying
concepts in order to develop the skills and the attitude necessary
for the understanding and appreciation of the interrelatedness
between human beings their culture and their biophysical
surrounding
EFFORT BY KENYAN GOVERNMENT TO PROMOTE E.E
  E.E has been integrated in public universities and in colleges
as a support subject
 In primary and secondary schools it is integrated in different
subjects
 N.E.M.A was established to create awareness and as a
result it introduced a national tree planting day.
 The government support the N.G.OS involved in
environmental conservation.
 Support of clubs such as environment club, 4k club
 Communities at the grass root are encouraged to plant trees.

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
Refers to the type of education which allows all people to be
admitted in regular school regardless of the individual differences
All are taught at the same class by the same teachers and
learning is adapted to learners
The following are some of the skills needed by a teacher in order
to promote I.E:
 Being able to accept learners in the classroom from
diverse background and ability.
 Possession and appropriate application of various
learning materials so as cater the needs of all
learners.
 Loving and caring for all learners in order to help
them develop trust and confidence in themselves.
 Ability to access individual needs of the learners in
order to plan effectively and appropriately.
  Ability to adopt and use various learning materials
so as to attract and sustain learners interest
ADVANTAGES
 Reduces discrimination attitude towards people with
disability.
 Promotes the development of social and emotional growth
among all stakeholders as they develop compassion and
understanding of all members of the community.
 Improves access to education
 Develops teamwork and cooperation between students and
teachers.
 Raises the esteem of the students
 Helps in the adjustment of learning environment to
accommodate the physically challenged and other special
needs
BARRIERS
 Negative attitude towards people with special needs.
 Inadequate trained teachers
 Inappropriate physical facilities for the learners with special
needs.
 High cost of essential equipments for those learners.
 Low perception of learners with special needs hinder them to
participate in school programs.

ROLES OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION IN THE

DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION
 Promote gender equality in curriculum
  Promote millennium goals by 2030
 Banning of corporal punishment
 Provision of financial and technical assistance
 Tireless efforts to promote F.P.E


.
 CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
EDUCATION
It is the process of acquiring and developing desired knowledge,
skills and attitude
CURRICULUM
It is all that is designed or planned to enable the students acquire
and develop the designed knowledge skills and attitude.
AIMS
Provide a broad structure of what to be included in education
structure.
GOALS
They are general statement about expected achievements in
learning.
OBJECTIVES
Are derived from goals
They are concerned with a given level of learning such as
primary secondary and college and tackle difference subject in
class.
PURPOSE OF CURRICULUM IN SCHOOL
 Guides the education system in a country
 Helps in identification of goals and objectives of education
system
 Helps in identification of knowledge skills and attitude that
are important for the development of individual and society
 Help in identification of learning experiences that helps to
achieve the goals and objectives
 Act as benchmark against which the achievements of
education system can be measured
 Prioritizes areas of learning and indicates where resources
should be targeted
EDUCATION PROGRAM
It is a set of organized activity aimed at achieving education
training goals and focuses in a certain target.
Curriculum developing
Process of selecting and refining the content of an already
existing education program with a view of improving changing
or modifying it
Syllabus
Refers to the description of content that is to be learned in a
particular subject
Curriculum design
Refers to the organization of the components of curriculum
element
ELEMENTS OF A SCHOOL CURRICULUM
1. CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES
Decision as to what the curriculum an objective is a political
one and is taken through political machinery.
A comprehensive understanding of philosophy of education and
psychology of learning is useful in selecting education objectives
based on whether they are achievable the length of time to
achieve them and level of learning that can be achieved.
Learning activities
These are tasks and methods which enable learners achieve
particular objectives.
They include; the personnel
TEACHING AND LEARNING RESOURCE
Teaching methods and activity
Selection of learning should be based on :
1. Conformity with objective-should provide the learners with the
opportunity to practice
2. Validity –learning should be relevant to learning area and
consistent with enforcing the actual situation at home and school.
3. Satisfaction-should provide learners with a sense of
achievement
4. Feasibility-they should reflect limits of attainment of the learner
with respect to their ages and individual learning differences
5. economy- learning experiences should result in a number of
learning outcome.
Evaluation
Process of determining the extent to which a program is
successful
DIMENSION OF SCHOOL CURRICULUM