A school is an institution designed for the schooling of children under the guidance of qualified teachers. In most countries, a child must pass a minimum set of tests to receive a formal diploma. Most such test-based education systems are arranged by states as part of their public education system. Some states also provide diplomas or licenses, in addition to other post-secondary educational opportunities, to students who pass the specified tests. However, in some countries, like India and Pakistan, children are left to attend classes on their own without any consideration to their age or academic potential.
A school, therefore, can be a place of instruction where people learn skills required for a particular job or profession. The term ‘school’ refers to any place of instruction. A school can be a daycare facility, a community college, a technical institute or a religious organization. It can also be a private institution run by a corporation or a limited partnership.
In countries where primary schooling is not complete, the children attend informal education centers, known as madrasas. In the United States, the terms’ public school and private school refer to the same non-formal education system. But whereas primary school is the term used to describe a system of educating young children in a particular school, the term also applies to a set of educational institutions that allow parents to send their children to school without formally submitting their children to a school.
At secondary school, children have the choice of completing either a regular school program or a vocational course. The usual subjects taught in a regular school are mathematics, reading, writing, science, and history. Courses in vocational schools generally include teaching physical education, health, computer studies, humanities, and social studies. The normal course length is one year. Higher education includes courses in business, law, nursing, and accountancy, among others.
From the English language, the word primary school simply means the school established for the education of a child under the age of seven years old. But in British English, primary school is commonly called nursery. In Australia, the word primary school comprises the National School (which is a government funded trust), the Local School (which is a publicly aided school) and a Christian school. In Canada, the word primary school denotes any of the following establishments: the public school, the denominational school, the private school, and a college, including both the licensed private school and the university.
To cater for the needs of children, education has undergone several alterations over time. The Pupils’ Disbursement Arrangement or PDA was approved in 1997 to give parents a better understanding of the expenditure and level of services necessary to enrol their children in schools across the country. The PDP reimburses parents for specific expenditures related to children’s instruction, which include primary education, secondary education and tertiary education. Furthermore, the PDP encourages parents to opt for cost-effective options that ensure the achievement of recognized Pupil Success Rates or PSRA rates.