Education	Policy	Research	Series	
                     Discussion	Document	No.	5	
                                                 	
                                                 	
                     Education	Systems	in	
                     ASEAN+6	Countries:	
                                  	
                  A	Comparative	Analysis	of		
                  Selected	Educational	Issues	
                               	
         	
         				
         	
                      Education	Policy	Research	Series	
                        Discussion	Document	No.	5	
          	
          	
          	
          	
          	  Education	Systems	in	ASEAN+6	Countries:	
                A	Comparative	Analysis	of	Selected	
                         Educational	Issues
                                  	
             	                    	
                                  	
                                  	
                                  	
                                  	
                                  	
                                  	
                                  	
             	                    	
                                  	
             	                    	
                       Education	Policy	and	Reform	Unit	
                            UNESCO	Bangkok	
             	                    	
          				
          	
          	
          	
          	
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          THA/DOC/14/004‐E
          				
          	
                       Preface		
                       This	 comparative	 report	 reviews	 and	 analyses	 a	 range	 of	 selected	 educational	 issues	 in	
                       Association	of	Southeast	Asian	Nations	(ASEAN)+6	countries,	which	 include	 10	 ASEAN	
                       member	countries	plus	Australia,	China,	India,	Japan,	New	Zealand,	and	the	Republic	of	Korea.	
                       In	particular,	it	highlights	the	key	issues,	challenges	and	opportunities	for	improving	system	
                       performance	and	reducing	educational	disparities	across	ASEAN+6	countries.	It	thus	provides	
                       useful	inputs	for	informing	policy	options	for	education	development	in	these	and	other	
                       countries.	The	issues	reviewed	are	grouped	into	three	policy	areas:	1)	sector	policy	and	
                       management	frameworks,	2)	secondary	education,	and	3)	technical	and	vocational	education	
                       and	training	(TVET),	all	of	which	are	of	critical	importance	in	the	context	of	formulating	and	
                       operationalizing	education	reform	agendas	in	these	countries.		
                       	
                       A	comparative	review	of	the	current	educational	context	in	ASEAN+6	countries	indicates	that:	
                              All	ASEAN+6	countries	have	a	legal	provision	for	free	and	compulsory	education	for	at	
                               least	some	levels	of	basic	education.	
                              Education	system	structures	vary,	however	6+3+3	is	the	most	common	in	the	region,	
                               followed	by	a	6+4+2	system.	
                              Most	ASEAN+6	countries	have	decentralized	some	functions	and	responsibilities	to	
                               lower	levels	of	administration	but	remain	rather	centralized,	especially	with	regard	to	
                               standard	setting	and	teacher	management.	
                              Many	 ASEAN+6	 countries	 have	 promoted	 alternative	 education	 and	 the	 use	 of	
                               equivalency	 programmes,	however	the	ways	alternative	learning	programmes	are	
                               organized,	delivered	and	certified	differ.	
                              There	 is	 an	 increasing	 recognition	 of	 the	 association	 between	 quality	 of	 learning	
                               outcomes	 and	 enabling	 factors	 for	 quality	 education	 such	 as	 curriculum	 and	
                               assessment,	quality	assurance,	teaching	and	learning	time,	language	 in	 education	
                               policies	and	teacher	quality.	
                              Trends	in	TVET	enrolment	rates	vary	across	the	region;	in	most	countries,	the	share	of	
                               TVET	has	tended	to	decrease	over	the	past	decade.	All	ASEAN+6	countries	recognize	
                               the	importance	of	TVET	and	many	include	it	in	their	national	socio‐economic	
                               development	plans,	however	TVET	continues	to	be	“unpopular”	and	the	demarcation	
                               between	general	and	vocational	education	is	increasingly	blurred.	
                              There	are	wide	variances	in	the	ways	countries	prepare	their	workforce	and	perform	
                               educationally	in	TVET	but	most	have	attempted	to	put	in	place	systems	for	TVET	quality	
                       	       assurance	and	qualifications	frameworks.	
                       Reviewing	these	issues	and	the	diverse	approaches	that	countries	have	chosen	to	respond	with	
                       has	 shed	 some	 lights	 on	 the	 possible	 policy	 choices	 for	 a	 country	wishing	to	undertake	
                       education	reform	in	these	areas.	Evidence	reveals	that	high	performing	education	systems	
                       appear	to:				
                              Commit	strongly,	both	legally	and	financially,	to	education		
                              Spend	more	and	spend	wisely	on	education		
                              Devolve	more	management	responsibilities	to	sub‐national	levels	
                              Produce	and	use	more	data	
                              Undertake	 frequent	 curriculum	 reforms	 to	 respond	 to	 changing	 needs	 and	 make	
                               education	more	relevant	
                       	                                                     i