Thinking back to our days at school, it can be hard to forget all that homework we had to do. The days may have been great most of the time, but sometimes it was like the school days would never end! However, there are countries in this world that give less homework and are still successful. Could this be the way forward after all?
Finland
At the top of the list for less homework and being highly successful is Finland. This European country prides itself on short school days, long vacations, and only 2.8 hours of homework a week. As if that wasn’t enough, children in Finland don’t have to start school until they are seven years old. However, they are still able to come out near the top of the charts when it comes to their exam results. In fact, they are sixth in the world for their maths and science knowledge. So how do they do it? Finland says their system works on trust. Rather than overloading children with work when they are home, Finnish parents trust that the teachers will give the children all the education they need while they are at school. Although many studies have tried to prove that more homework means better results, it looks as though Finland is determined to prove them wrong.
South Korea
Much like Finland, South Korea only has around 2.9 hours of homework a week. Yet somehow this country has managed to rank at number two in the world for their reading knowledge. The schools in South Korea weren’t fully established until the last few decades when education became a majorly important part of the country. In fact, South Korea wants to offer schooling to everyone, no matter their background. Although South Korea is at the top of the league tables and students get to enjoy a lot less homework, many question whether they are really as successful as they seem. Rather than work at home, these schools focus on constant testing and continually applying the pressure. Could they have gone too far?
Japan
Japanese schools work in a way unlike many others around the world. Rather than teachers using the knowledge they have to teach the class, they work at educating their students on how to use the internet and resources around them to find the answer for themselves. This means that schools in Japan only hand out around 3.8 hours of homework a week. However, it isn’t all brain work for these pupils. No, most of the schools across the country don’t employ janitors. Why? The students themselves are in charge of keeping the building clean and tidy. So while Japanese school might not overload their pupils with extra work, they are preparing them for plenty of other skills they will need throughout their lives.
Homework is a subject that many people have an opinion on. Some believe it is the best way to learn while others see no reason pupils shouldn’t learn all they need in school. However, it looks as though these countries that give less homework have proved how they can still succeed, even without all that extra work after school.
