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The Global Story

Which country educates its children best?

Nov 27, 2024
Sean Coughlan, BBC News education correspondent, teams up with Professor John Jerrim from UCL, an expert in global education data analysis. They delve into the competitive global education rankings, spotlighting standout nations like Estonia and Canada. The discussion highlights barriers like poverty, climate change, and war that prevent access to schooling. They also explore the disparities in educational quality, teacher effectiveness, and the significance of adaptive funding to improve educational outcomes around the world.
26:32

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Countries like Singapore and South Korea excel in education due to high standards and a cultural emphasis on learning.
  • Severe barriers such as war and poverty hinder access to education, profoundly affecting children's opportunities and futures.

Deep dives

The Impact of Educational Background

Educational background significantly shapes an individual's life outcomes and opportunities. The distinction between those who access quality education and those who do not often leads to substantial socioeconomic disparities. Personal experiences shared by education correspondents highlight the critical link between early educational settings and later successes in life, illustrating how different schooling systems can dictate one's path. For example, the grammar school system in England resulted in many being selected for advanced academic routes, while others faced limited prospects due to their educational choices.

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