education diferences.doc

应用英语12级7班 120440723 杜雅娴 The Comparison between British and American Education Education is a big topic in every country. And as every country has its own characteristics, education in each country is not the same as others. It has some similarities and differences between American education and British education. At first, the purpose of education in the UK, the USA is not quite similar with each other. In the UK, the purpose of school is to provide children with literacy and the other basic skills they will need to become active members of society, and also to socialize children. In the USA, just as George S. Counts said：“Americans regard education as the means by which the inequalities among individuals are to be erased and by which every desirable end is to be achieved”. So the goal is to achieve universal literacy and to provide individuals with knowledge and skills necessary to promote both their own individual welfare as well as that of the general public. Also, the background of the two countries’ education is different. Education is a subject about which British people care deeply. Most believe that the state should provide education free of charge and to a higher standard. At election time, politicians who promise to spend more on education are popular with voters. Recently, there has been a lot of debate about students have to pay their own fees at university, as well as their living expenses. Some people are afraid that poorer students will not receive enough financial help and will be discouraged from going on to a higher education. Different from British, under the United States constitution, the Federal government has no power to make laws in the field of education; each state is fully responsible within its own territory. The Federal government can give financial help but not orders. Each state has a