Comparison of Local and Cambridge Education System | Cambridge International Examinations |

Comparison of Local and Cambridge Education System

One is the local education system which offers a Matriculation and Intermediate qualifications; while the other is a Cambridge system for O-levels and A-levels. While there is comparison in the quality of education the two systems offer, there are certain factors that require consideration, especially by students intending to continue their studies in Pakistan.  The following section presents a comparison of the two systems to enable students and parents to make informed decisions about which system should be adopted. 

• Subjects
  
  The Cambridge system of education offers a wide variety of courses. Each school offers courses for which they have better quality teachers. Students are free to choose from these subjects during O-levels but they have to choose a specific combination of subjects for A-levels. The local education system has limited courses to offer which are further grouped together as Science, Arts, Pre-Medical, Pre-Engineering and Commerce streams. The local system does not allow taking inter-disciplinary subjects both at Matric and Intermediate levels.

• Teaching quality
  
  Generally, schools that offer Cambridge education system have better and more consistent quality of education than schools that offer local education system. However, there are some good quality private schools and colleges for local system too. Due to stiff competition amongst schools, Cambridge schools make consistent efforts to maintain the quality of teaching. However the education in the Cambridge system is very demanding as a result, most student end up seeking extra coaching to help prepare for exams.

• Curriculum and examination
  
  Cambridge system revises and improves its curriculum on regular basis and amendments to curriculum and examination policies are communicated to students well ahead of examinations. Local education is relatively slower in responding to modern research and updating the curriculum. Due to its emphasis on understanding of concepts, students that graduate from Cambridge system perform better in University admission tests than students from local system as it focuses more on rote learning and passing examinations.
  
  Both Cambridge and local systems allow students to give examinations through school or privately; however, the Cambridge system also allows a regular student to appear for some papers privately, given that it does not involve any project work. Cambridge examinations are conducted in a transparent manner and therefore its results are considered as a true representation of student’s performance. But in case of local examination system, questions are often raised in relation to the whole assessment system. One significant disadvantage that students who appear in Cambridge examination face is a deduction of 10% marks from their overall result at the time of equivalency. Equivalency is a necessary requirement for admission to a local public university.

• Opportunities for higher studies
  
  Students who complete their higher secondary from Intermediate system have equal opportunities to compete on merit for admission in local public and private universities. Whereas, students with A-levels have to compete hard for admission in reputed public medical and engineering universities because these universities have limited quota of seats for students from the Cambridge system. However, students with Cambridge qualification have better chances of securing admission in foreign universities, especially those in UK as A-level is a recognized and acceptable high school qualification there.

• Educational expenses
  
  The fees for Cambridge schools and examinations are very high. The fees for even the most expense private schools and colleges that offer local education system is half as costly as Cambridge schools. In case a student chooses to take high number of courses and appear for few papers privately during O and A levels, he/she is required to attend additional coaching classes which results in a sharp increase in the overall cost of education.

• Opportunities for personal development of students
  
  Cambridge schools invest enough time and effort to develop students’ critical, analytical, and communications skills. This is not only in-built in their teaching and examination systems but also complemented by a large number of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities that Cambridge schools organize for their students. Some good private schools and colleges that offer local system of education also provide a wide array of opportunities for personal development but most local system schools provide limited exposure to such activities.