LESSON 7

RESEARCH IN COMPARATIVE EDUCATION & FACTORS THAT DETERMINE

EDUCATION SYSTEM
PROCESS OF COMPARATIVE EDUCATION
These factors influencing education in any named country portray such country’s system in a way or
manner that makes it very distinctive to others. This gives such country the character for which her
education can be recognized.
Some countries whose educational systems are characterised with strong local responsibilities and
decentralised control of policies. Canada, Japan, U.S.A. and Switzerland etc
Some are characterised with strong national responsibilities with centralised control of education policy.
Countries like Indonesia, Italy, Spain, Philippines etc
Some countries national systems of education are characterised with the division of educational
responsibilities between the central (national) and the subordinate units e.g Britain.
FACTORS INFLUENCING OR DETERMINING SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION
The system of education operative in any nation/society has a number of factors influencing its character.
Some of these factors include:

• History or Historical factors

• Politics or Political factors
• Economy or Economic factor
• Geographical/Environmental factor
• Social/Sociological factor
• Religious factor
• Ethnicity
• Language or Linguistics factor
• Trade Union/Professional Association
FACTORS THAT DETERMINE EDUCATION SYSTEMS
Historical Factor Accordingly, the historical factor is hinged on studying the problems of education by
reflecting on and reviewing the past in the appraisal of current manifestations, for adjustment and
projection for the future.
Learning and drawing lessons from the events, issues and occurrences of the past provide current
practices with direction and focus, so the future can be prepared for. In looking into the past for the sake
of reconstructing it in the present for the purpose of the glorious future, the historian digs into the very
origin, to the earliest period that is relevant to the issue at stake. This is the utilitarian nature of history as
a discipline – a value must be placed on the issue at stake to justify the historian’s inquiry process – the
issue that has value for us here is lessons to learn from the educational systems of various countries.
b) Political Factor It has come to stay and as a highly institutionalised practice that successive
governments gaining control of political power continually structure the system of education of the
country or states, possibly to achieve their political goals. Whawo (1990) in supporting the above view,
maintains that the ideology (political point of view) of those in power differs, that is, some may be liberal,
democratic, dictatorial, communalistic, capitalistic, humanistic or totalitarian etc. These political
ideologies strongly reflect the nations’ educational systems.
c) Economic Factor Basically, economic situation of any society determines to a large extent, the quality,
content and perhaps, the methods of education of such country. The status of countries’ economy dictates
the level of educational development.
d) Environmental Factor Another determinant of a country’s education system is the geographical or
environmental factor. This includes the location of the country, the climatic conditions and the physical
terrain of the environment. All these in essence dictate how the school buildings should be structured and
located, the means of transportation determined (based on the terrain), age at which a child will start
school so as to cope with the environment, decision on compulsory nature of school attendance is
determined by the climate and country’s configuration.
e) Language or Linguistic Factor: Language in the countries or societies educational system is an
important factor that cannot be done away with. Since education involves communication and interaction,
then language will definitely have role to play in the system of country’s education, particularly where
there is diversity of people and language. Canada and Cameroon have both French and English speaking
group of citizens. In many occasions, books are written and produced in so many languages for
international readers.
f) Religious Factor: Schools at all levels are now being established by the religious body as private
proprietors. In Nigeria today, a large percentage of private schools are coming from the religious bodies.
g) Ethnic Factor: Education is not spared of the play of ethnicity. Discrimination and regional/state
identification officially exist as part of educational character.
METHODS OF RESEARCH /APPROACHES OF COMPARATIVE EDUCATION STUDIES
Some new methods of studying Comparative Education have evolved in the field now. Methods like Area
Study, Field Study, Case Study, Statistical and Gastronomic are among some of the current methods used
in Comparative Education studies. It is, therefore, imperative to note that educational issues can be locally
or nationally subjected to comparative.
a) Area Study Approach: This method is one of the contemporary methods or approaches used in the
comparative study of education. Area Study method is that in which a comparativist limits or restricts
him/herself to a particular location or area by complying with the principles of Area Study. These
principles are:
• I Learning the language of the environment in which the study is to be undertaken
• Travelling and residing in the place of study
• Removal of observer’s own cultural and personal biases
George Bereday is one prominent scholar who did a remarkable study on methods of comparative study
in education. With particular reference to area study approach in the study of Comparative Education,
Bereday (1964) clearly outlines four (4) stages which a comparative educationist can adopt to carry out
his/her study using this method. These are:
i. Descriptive Stage: This is a stage where the researcher is expected to review related written
materials (literature) by local and foreign authorities on the system of education of the
designated/appointed area to be studied.
ii. Interpretative Stage: Here, the researcher collates the facts and figures ( data/information)
collected from different sources.
iii. Juxtapository Stage: This is a follow up of the above stage in which the results obtained from the
interpretative stage will then be put side by side with what is obtainable in the researcher’s own
environment or location. This is the point where differences and similarities are identified by the
comparative educationist.
iv. Comparative Stage: This is the last stage where a researcher is expected to make detailed
objective comparison, which is, comparing and contrasting the results from interpretative stage.
Comparative stage is where critical discussions are undertaken to show the characteristics of
similarities and differences produced by education of the studied area with the researcher’s own
location or area, advancing reasons in the forces and factors that produced the differences and
similarities.
Field Study Approach
v. This is another method of contemporary study in Comparative Education. It is just an extension
of the Area Study method where a Comparative researcher carries out his/her study in two or
 more locations simultaneously by visiting locations to location under the investigative searchlight
of the comparative educationist. The approach is as old as the field of Comparative Education.
Case Study Approach This is also one of the commonly used methods in comparative studies today. A
Case Study as a method of studying comparative education can simply be explained as ‘giving
consideration to parts from a whole’. In studying Comparative Education, the breaking down of a ‘whole’
into manageable parts or proportion is known as the case study. For instance, a study of the National
Policy on Education may be subjected to a case study by picking aspect of the policy as basis of
comparison in different places of its operation. The 6-3-3-4 system is a whole and studying primary (the
first numeric 6 years of primary schooling) may be a case study. Secondary education can also be taken as
a whole and a case study of this may consider junior or senior secondary level for comparison in two or
more locations.
• A case study on the other hand at the national level may an examination of general educational
issues, but focussing or directing the study on delimited area(s).
Historical Approach: One way of comparing national systems of education is by looking for information
into the evolutionary processes of these systems. It is for reason that Kosemani (1993) conceived
Comparative Education as “a study of the history of education into the present”. Hans (1967:10), in
support of the use of the historical approach in the study of Comparative Education had opined that The
historical approach according to Okorosaye-Orubite (1995) and Lawal (2004) thus enables the
Comparative Educationist to identify the factors that are responsible for the current education system of
the country being studied. Kosemani (1993:2) identified three basic elements in the historical approach
namely: repertorial descriptive, historicalfunctional and melioristic.
Statistical Approach: This method of conducting a Comparative Education research is that which
involves the collection and presentation of information on the development of education in each of the
study locations, focusing on educational administration, admission levels or policies, staff and students’
performances, educational expenditures, facilities and equipment, enrolment, retention and dropout
figures etc. All these are stated in a statistical or quantitative pattern for comparison with other places
educational development.
While examining the merit of statistical method in Comparative Education, Nwagugo (1999) remarks that
statistical information are easily compared and utilized in Comparative Education because one set of
statistical data or graphs can even contain educational information of one or more countries at the same
time.
A study carried out by Abdulrahman-Yusuf in 2010 can be used in this context to explain the use of
statistical method for Comparative Education study.
Scientific Approach
Scientific approach as a method of carrying out comparative education study can simply be summarised
as having the following characteristics namely
i. Study is carried out empirically by formulating hypothesis to guide its study;
ii. Definition of key concepts;
iii. Setting out variables aimed at making the study scientific;
iv. The instrument meant for the study has to be validated; and the
v. Using statistics in the analysis of issues under study as another feature of scientific method.
It is important that scientific method should be encouraged in the study of comparative education to make
the outcome of such studies to have wider acceptability since anyone in doubt can easily replicate the
process by following the set procedure to validate result.
Gastronomic Approach
This is a method in which both the diet as well the eating habit of the people in a particular country are
related to the practices of their education. Even though it is a very popular approach in contemporary
comparative education study, it draws its strength from the nature-nurture discourse as a factor
influencing the learning among learners.
Problem/Thematic Approach
This approach involves the identification and studying of an educational problem within the context of its
origin, nature, scope and causes in any geographical location (community, state, region or country) that
are common to different states/countries. Usually, attempts are made to provide solution to identified
problems, especially as they affect one’s own place or cultures so that generalizations could be made
since the issues under investigation are similar.
Qualities of a Good Comparative Educationist
Education Comparative is to set out provide reliable information about educational systems, ideals,
challenges and activities aimed at improving educational ideas, methods and organizations among the
various educational systems of the world.
These qualities according to Lawal (2004) include the following:
a) Objectivity: A good Comparative Educationist should be objective in his/her analysis of other people’s
educational theories and practices regardless of their population, race, size and complexion. In other
words, he/she should not be biased against the system he or she is about.
b) Readiness to Visit Foreign Places: A good Comparative Educationist should not always stay at home
relying on information gathered from books alone. He/she should go beyond this by visiting the places
whose educational theories and practices he is studying, as this will enhance the objectivity of the study.
c) Interest to Read Education Books Widely and Vastly: A good Educational Comparativist should have
special interest in reading books on foreign education systems as he/she ought not to be ignorant of
educational theories and practices not only in his/her country but also outside his/her country.
d) Honest: This is needed for the Educational Comparativist to arrive at an objective, acceptable, valid
and reliable conclusion.
e) Should Be Computer/Internet Friendly: In addition to the above qualities listed by Lawal (2004),
there the need for an Educational Comparativist his salt to be a friend of both the computer and the
internet as they needed to make him/her be in tune with current trends in the field.
COMMON EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGES OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
These are countries that neither have stable political nor economic systems. This state of affairs in these
countries is caused majorly by their forceful integration into world capitalist system through the
colonialism.
Some of these similar educational challenges of these countries as listed by Lawal (2004) are:
• Underfunding of the educational sector
• Poor statistical data
• Ethnicity in the provision of educational facilities
• Religious challenges
• Political and governmental instability
• Cultural differences
• Poor school attendance among children due to urge to make quick wealth
• Lack of qualified teachers due to the poor image of the teacher in most of these countries as well
as government inability to employ teachers in the right proportion to execute the educational
policy of their respective countries.
• Inadequate motivation of the teaching personnel
• Poor economy leading to the financial difficulty to in implementing the policy of education in
most of these countries as provided in the statues books.