In many ways the US system is inherently flawed in that it does not offer equal opportunities to all. In the South where education is still something of an issue, there is still de facto segregation in certain areas which is definitely not seen in China or Finland for example. Children from poorer backgrounds and from different ethnic communities obviously suffer to integrate themselves into the white community and this means that the language barrier for Hispanics is something of a problem when it comes to this fast growing section of the population.
However when it comes to college education, the US can be said to be head and shoulders above the rest. With such prestigious universities as Harvard and Yale, we can observe a shift in the quality of education which is not seen in the other countries chosen for comparison. China especially is problematic in this respect with a very poor tertiary education sector whilst Finland is coming close too.
If one were to choose an educational system which was comparable to the US then it would have to be China where the opportunities are substantial. The system begins from the very down with intense levels of teaching especially when the students are very young. This is perhaps slightly better than the US. The Finnish system is also good and there is a vibrant possibility to better its educational systems especially in the larger cities of Helsinki and Tampere where there is a vibrant life and young community.
Bibliography:
Woodruff J: Where We Stand, America’s Schools in the 21st Century; Retrieved from: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wherewestand/reports/globalization/video-report/7/
