| If students who exit American schools determine the | | | | Even Japan, once considered a dominant force in |
| future of our country, it's time to look at some of the | | | | education, is looking to India for guidance. India, as |
| global trends in this arena. How does our system of | | | | reported by Martin Fackler of the New York Times, |
| education compare with countries like China and India | | | | has become the Asian country many see as the |
| whose populations are growing at a much faster rate? | | | | world's next education superpower. In China 25% and |
| (Before you finish reading this article-60 babies will be | | | | India 28% of the student population are considered |
| born in the U.S., 244 babies in China and 351 babies in | | | | honors students. Translation - They have more honors |
| India). | | | | students than we have students! (Apollo Ideas.com) |
| If we compare these education systems by looking at | | | | Many of these students will later apply to colleges and |
| occupational outcomes we might make the following | | | | universities to prepare for careers as professionals. |
| common observations: | | | | China also places a high value on vocational and |
| "All of my medical doctors are either Indian (from India) | | | | technical education as the best path to gainful |
| or oriental (from China)." Or | | | | employment. In many provinces of China, the average |
| "Every time I call the number for technical advice for | | | | salary for technical school graduates rivals that of |
| my computer or other electronic device, I have | | | | university grads and more students are beginning to |
| difficulty understanding the technical adviser because | | | | follow this path. In the U.S. career-technical (vocational) |
| of his, or her, accent which is usually Indian or Chinese. | | | | courses for high school youth are disappearing in favor |
| But some of these are American companies!" Or | | | | of more academic courses to bolster test scores. |
| "Chinese and Indian students seem to outnumber | | | | While the educated and trained middle class in China |
| American students enrolled in engineering programs at | | | | and India is growing, what is happening in the United |
| some of our best universities." | | | | States? The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that |
| Statement like those above have become | | | | today's learner will have 10-14 jobs by the age of 38. |
| commonplace. Isn't it time to ask why? | | | | One out of four employees today have worked for |
| "Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why..." - | | | | their present employer for less than one year indicating |
| Bernard Baruch | | | | a 25% turnover rate. The average age of a beginning |
| Parental expectations and support for education | | | | apprentice in the U.S. is 28. What has this 28 year old |
| combined with elevating the teaching profession to the | | | | trainee been doing for 10 years? |
| status it deserves is a major reason for the emerging | | | | We live in a world where the amount of technical |
| success in China and India. Parents as well as | | | | information is doubling every two years. By 2010 it is |
| government officials value education. In the U.S. parent | | | | predicted to double every 72 hours. The obvious |
| support is erratic and government officials are doing | | | | conclusion is that education and training must be a |
| very little to address the real needs of education. In | | | | continuous process. If America's future in this global |
| 2002, Nintendo invested more than $140 million in | | | | economy is dependent on our system of education |
| research and development. The U.S. government | | | | and the students exiting from this system, we may be |
| spent less than half as much on research and | | | | in trouble. |
| innovation in education during that same period. If the | | | | Government support for education, parent training and |
| future of our country depends on the education of our | | | | stronger vocational training programs is just the |
| youth, government officials must begin to emulate | | | | beginning. It's time to call on all sectors of our |
| those public and private sector organizations who are | | | | community to support education. |
| successfully and realistically facing the future. | | | | |