User:EDUC806Asia/sandbox/Teacher Education in Asia

Educational Requirements for Teachers

The teacher education system in Asia varies from country to country. Some countries require students to complete various levels of primary and secondary school before completing an advanced degree while others have students start teacher education programs during secondary school. Below is a listing of several Asian educational systems by country, and the process students must complete before receiving teacher certification.

Afghanistan

Primary school teachers receive training at the upper secondary level of education [1]. Upper secondary schooling is approximately three years in length and is completed after the student finishes primary school (six-years) and middle secondary (three-years) [2]. Middle school teachers need to complete a two-year program at a Teacher Training College after upper secondary school [1]. To teach secondary school, teachers must complete a four-year program and two years at the Academy for Teacher Educators [1].

Azerbaijan

To qualify as a teacher in Azerbaijan, students must complete a Bakalavr (Bachelor) in education. The educational system for Azerbaijan begins at age six when students enter elementary education (four-years). It is then followed by general education (five-years). In order to proceed to the National Admissions Test, students have three routes to choose from (a) Complete Secondary Education (two-years), (b) Complete Secondary School (two-years) plus Secondary Professional Education (two-years) or (c) Secondary Professional Education Including Complete Secondary Education (four-years) [4]. Once students complete the National Admissions Test, they will proceed to the Bakalavr diploma (four-years). Most students train at one of two locations; Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University or the Ganja State Pedagogical University [3].

Bhutan

Primary and secondary school teachers train at a three-year Bachelor of Education program [5]. To enroll in a Bachelor of Education program, a Bhutan Higher Secondary Education Certificate is required [5]. The laddering system in Bhutan requires students to complete Primary School (six-years), Lower Secondary School (three-years), and Upper Secondary School (three-years) before entering the Bachelor of Education program [6].

Brunei

Primary and secondary school teachers must hold a Bachelor of Education [7]. Students will complete Primary School (six-years), Lower Secondary (three-years), General Upper Secondary School (two-years), Brunei-Cambridge Certificate of Education Advanced Level (two-years), and a Bachelor of Education (four-years) [8].

Cambodia

Primary school teachers receive a two-year training at provincial teacher training colleges [9]. To enter a provincial teacher training college, students begin coursework at Primary School (six-years). After Primary School, students will complete Lower Secondary Diplôme (three-years) and Lower Secondary Baccalauréat (three-years) [10]. Secondary teachers are required to complete a four-year program at the University of Phnôm Penh [9].

China

Primary school teachers and secondary school teachers train at separate programs in China. Kindergarten teachers attend specialized upper middle schools to obtain graduation certificates [12]. Primary school teachers receive training at training at a specialized normal upper middle school [12]. Lower middle school teachers train at teachers’ training colleges or universities [11]. Lower middle school teachers are required to obtain a graduation certificate from a zhuanke program [12]. Students in training to teach in upper middle school, would be required to obtain a certificate from a four-year benke program [12].

Iraq

Primary school teachers receive training at teacher training institutes [13]. Students interested in primary teaching will complete primary school (six-years), intermediate secondary school (three-years), and either complete Preparatory Secondary School and a two-year program or complete five year Diploma of Education program [14]. Secondary school teachers are required to obtain a bachelor’s degree or a Bachelor of Education [13].

Japan

Teacher training in Japan requires students to obtain qualifications for pre-elementary, elementary, and secondary school through a four-year program at national university [15]. The educational track for Japanese students includes Primary education (six-years), Lower Secondary (three-years), Upper Secondary (three-years), and a Bachelor’s Degree (two- or four-years) [16]. Training at local and private institutions for a two- or four-year colleges may also occur [15].

Kuwait

Kuwait University is the only University in the country, and teaching requirements for Secondary Education require students to complete a four-year Bachelor degree [17]. Depending on the source, students must complete Primary school (four-years), Intermediate School (four-years), and General Secondary School (four-years) before entering University [17]. Teaching requirements for higher education require assistant teachers in the University and instructors in a technical college to hold a Master’s degree while University professors are required to hold a Ph.D. [17].

Laos

Teacher training for pre-primary and primary school teachers in Laos prepare students through a three-year teaching program [18]. Students have two options; (a) Primary School (five-years), Lower Secondary School (three-years), and Primary School Teacher Training (three-years) or (b) Primary School, Lower Secondary School, Upper Secondary School (three-years), and a one-year Primary School Teacher Training program [19]. Following Upper Secondary School, the student has the option to complete a three-year course to become a lower secondary teacher [18]. Upper secondary teachers complete a five-year program at the National University of Laos after completing Upper Secondary School [18].

Lebanon

Training for elementary school teachers occurs at the Faculties of Education [20]. Students must complete Primary Education (six-years), Intermediate Education (three-years), Secondary Education (three-years), and a Bachelor Degree in elementary and primary education (three-years) [20]. Students interested in teaching secondary school will complete a five-year courses leading to the Certificat d’Aptitude pédagogique de l’Eseignement secondaire [20].

Myanmar

In Myanmar, students complete either a Certificate of Education or a Diploma of Education to meet teaching employment requirements. To obtain a Certificate of Education students complete Kindergarten (one-year), Primary School (four-years), Lower Secondary (four-years), Upper Secondary (two-years), Certificate of Education (one-year) [22]. Completing a Diploma of Education requires two years of additional schooling after Upper Secondary school [21].

Nepal

The educational system in Nepal requires teachers to complete Primary (five-years), Lower Secondary (three-years) and Upper Secondary (two-years) before taking the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) [23]. The SLC is required before students can enter the Certificate of Education program through a Higher Secondary school [23]. Students complete a Bachelor degree in education at the university level to teach secondary schooling [23]. Students need to complete a Master of Education to teach in higher secondary and at university [23].

Oman

Students in Oman are required to obtain a bachelor’s degree and teacher education regardless of the leave of teaching they plan to pursue [24]. The educational laddering requires students to complete a General Preparatory School Certificate or Islamic Preparatory Certificate (nine- to ten-years) and Thanaqwiya Amma (two- or three-years) before enter university to complete a Bachelor’s Degree (four- or five-years) [25].

Singapore

The educational laddering required of teachers in Singapore includes Primary education (six-years), Lower Secondary (four-years), completion of 11th grade, completion of A Levels Upper Secondary, and a Bachelor’s Degree (three-years) [26].

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, students complete a two-year program of study at a teacher training college to teach primary and secondary school [27]. Following the program, students must also complete one year of student teaching to receive a Trained Teacher’s Certificate Primary or Secondary [27]. Students wanting to enroll in Teacher Certification must complete Primary School (four-years), Junior Secondary (four-years), Senior Secondary (two-years), and a General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (two-years) before enrolling in the certification program [28].

The Syrian Arab Republic

Primary school teachers complete a Primary Teaching Certificate (Shahâdat Ahliyyat Al-Ta’lîm Al-Ibtibâ’I) at Teacher Training Schools, Teacher Intermediate Institutes or Athletic Institutes [30]. To teach intermediate education students need to hold the Baccalaureate and Secondary teachers are required additional training from the Faculty of Education at the University level [29].

The Yemen Arab Republic

Basic school teachers complete a two-year teaching certificate at one of 14 teacher training institutes [30]. Students must complete Basic School (nine-years) and Upper Secondary School (three-years) before enrolling in a teacher training institute [31]. Upper Secondary school teachers complete a Bachelor of Arts in Education [30].