INCA Education around the world
INCA Comparative Tables
Last reviewed and updated: 20-Jan-2012
These comparative tables, updated on a regular basis, aim to provide a readily comparable overview of the detailed descriptions of national education policy in the country archives. Whilst more manageable than the complete Archive, the comparative table format inevitably entails simplification of complex data, with the risk of distortion. The following therefore outlines the caveats which apply and the strategies adopted to minimise any negative effects:
The concepts and categories are distinctively related to the curriculum and assessment framework in England and may not apply to other countries.
- The terminology used is that used in England. Explanatory notes are provided and the annotations respect, as far as possible, national terminology.
- In some cases, the Archive or the international comparisons used as sources (e.g. OECD) do not include information for all the countries in the study. Where comparable data are not available this is indicated in the tables.
- For those countries with devolved structures (Australia, Canada, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, and the USA) it is not always possible to provide ‘national’ data. Readers should therefore recognise that the data may refer to specific states or provinces, as examples, and cannot necessarily be taken to reflect a national position. Such countries are identified with a dot in the left hand margin of a table:
Countries in the tables are listed in country blocks: 'UK and Ireland', 'Europe' and 'the rest of the world'.
Both the full comparative tables and individual tables (December 2011) are available to download:
Table 1 General characteristics
Table 2 Levels of control and administrative organisation
Table 3 National education aims
Table 4 Recent education reforms
Table 5 Schooling: duration, phases
Table 6 School structures, access, internal grouping and progression
Table 7 Subjects in the compulsory phase curriculum
Table 8 Curriculum structure and organisation
Table 9 National assessment and public examination arrangements
Table 10 Control and supply of school textbooks
Table 11 Steps to becoming a teacher
Table 12 Special educational needs teacher training
Table 13 Recruitment incentives to encourage individuals to train as teachers
Table 14 Organising bodies responsible for initial teacher training
Table 15 Organisation of school year and school day
NB. The tables covering arrangments for initial teacher training have not been updated since June 2010.
