Text 14

Exercise 1. Read the text and give the short summary in English.

Australian education system

The Australian education system provides primary, secondary and tertiary education.

School education (Primary and Secondary)

School education is similar across all of Australia with only minor variations between states and territories. School education (primary and secondary) is compulsory between the ages of six and sixteen (Year 1 to Year 9 or 10). School education is 13 years and divided into:

• Primary school - Runs for seven or eight years, starting at Kindergarten/Preparatory through to Year 6 or 7.

• Secondary school - Runs for three or four years, from Years 7 to 10 or 8 to 10.

• Senior secondary school - Runs for two years, Years 11 and 12.

Tertiary education

Tertiary education includes both higher education (including universities) and vocational education and training (VET).

Language of instruction

English is the official language of Australia and the main language of instruction in the education system. Many schools offer bilingual programs or programs in other languages.

Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian education system is distinguished from many other countries by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). The AQF was established in 1995 and is a national policy that covers qualifications from the tertiary education sector (higher education and vocational education and training) in addition to the school-leaving certificate; the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education.

The AQF has 10 levels and links school, vocational and university education qualifications into one national system. This allows you to move easily from one level of study to the next, and from one institution to another, as long as you satisfy student visa requirements. It allows for choice and flexibility in career planning. All qualifications in the AQF help prepare you for both further study and your working life.

If you are studying an AQF qualification, you can be sure that your institution is Government-authorised and nationally accredited, and that your degree or other AQF qualification will be genuine.

Australian institutions are linked across the country and across the world, which makes it easy to move throughout the education system between courses or institutions and formal agreement and recognition frameworks mean every step of the path will contribute to your future no matter what your study or career goals.

TEXT 15

Exercise 1. Read the text.

Education in New Zealand

The educational system in New Zealand is extremely varied and is one of the best in the world. According to scores, it has the highest levels of literacy, mathematics, and sciences in the country. The public educational system is one of the best funded in the world; New Zealand offers the highest percentage of public funding in education in the world. Several indices rate New Zealand as the number one country in the world for education.

So what makes New Zealand so unique? What makes it different from all of the other developed countries that provide education to their children? It is based on several things; first, because New Zealand natives believe in giving everyone the education that they deserve. There are many private schools, but because the country is so great at giving their public schools the money they need, many parents are just as happy using the public system.

The other reason is because the educational system focuses on both practical and academic achievement. Instead of sticking to a regimen that no one really understands and doesn’t really tell us anything, the New Zealand public education system focuses on being open-minded and letting children explore, thus allowing them to learn in the best way that they can. This gets them ready for college or the workplace upon finishing their secondary education.

Primary and Secondary Schools

Almost all primary and secondary schools have a set schedule, usually from 9 AM to 3:30 PM. They go to school throughout the year, with four different terms spread out evenly. The terms are as follows:

Term 1: February to mid-April

Term 2: Late April to early July

Term 3: Mid July to late September

Term 4: Mid October to mid-December

There is a two-week break between terms one and two, two and three, and three and four. Between term four and the following term 1, there is a 6 week summer break, lasting part of December and all of January.

There are three types of primary and secondary schools. State-funded, or public, schools. These schools are free, with minor costs for books, school supplies, and uniforms (if they are used; most New Zealand schools have them). The school that a child attends is based on where they live; the divisions can be found here. State-integrated religious schools. There is a number of schools that are religious in nature (Catholic) which have been integrated into the public school structure. These are, of course, options for those who wish for their children to have a religious education. These schools are free, with minor costs for books, school supplies, and uniforms. Private schools cost anywhere from $4,000 to $28,000 a year. These may be religious, but they can also be more academically intense or provide options according to what a parent may want. Students must attend school from the age of 6 until they are 16.

Primary school. From ages 6 to 12, a child attends primary school. Most primary schools have 23 to 29 students per teacher, sometimes less if it is a private or state-integrated school. Primary schools may include preschool, but there are also preschools that work on their own. Preschool is not required.

Secondary school. Referred to as “high school” or “college,” secondary school has one teacher per 17 to 23 students; sometimes it is as low as 10 if it is a private or state-integrated school. Each secondary school uses a practical curriculum to help students get prepared for either the work world or higher education, and the curriculum is regulated by the Government’s Education Review Office. Some secondary schools will allow their senior students to take the Cambridge International Exam or the International Baccalaureate, which grant them credits and recognition in higher education programs worldwide.

Higher Education

There are eight universities throughout the country, along with 18 technology institutions and over 600 training schools which help with specialized skills. Five of the universities in New Zealand are considered to be in the top 50 of the world’s universities according to the QS World Top 500 rankings. New Zealand is known for its business, technology, engineering, medicine, and biological sciences, and the schools are world class. The higher education program is subsidized by the New Zealand government for permanent residents.

New Zealand’s higher education system is also quite laid-back. Even though you have to meet vigorous requirements and have to do particular tasks in order to stay on a student visa, it is nowhere near as intense as going into an Ivy League school in New England or the Group of Eight in Australia. You will get a great education without the cost of your mental health in the process.

As you can see, the educational system, from primary school all the way to college, is a big focus for Kiwis. This is why many people decide to allow their children to do exchange programs and why college students will spend their entire academic career in New England. The focus on education plays a very large role in the overall attitudes about education. It is considered to be important, and that attitude rubs off in every aspect of Kiwi life. You can achieve your goals, no matter what education you happen to pursue.

You can learn more about education in New Zealand in two places, first at The Ministry of Education’s website, where you can find more information about the way that the educational system is laid out and what laws and such are in place. The other place is Education New Zealand’s Study in New Zealand website, which can give you moreinformation about those laws and about the schools around the entire country.

Exercise 2. Answer the questions.

1. Why is the education system in New Zealand one of the best in the world?

2. What are the peculiarities of the New Zealand public education?

3. What is the length of the terms in primary and secondary schools?

4. What are the three types of primary and secondary schools?

5. How many universities are there in New Zealand?

6. Is education considered to be important in New Zealand? Prove it.