A school is an educational establishment designed to offer learning zones and learning environments especially for the education of students under the guidance of qualified teachers. Most developed countries have centralized systems of public elementary schooling, which can be completely mandatory. In such systems, students go through a certain number of primary schools before reaching the secondary schools. In developing countries, public schooling is seen as a basic necessity, with the secondary school system providing a number of opportunities for socialization and development. Private schools on the other hand, are generally seen as luxury options, offering the only opportunity for affluent parents to educate their children in the way they see fit.
Primary school education is characterized by the process of receiving instruction from parents and teaching children subjects taught by the teacher. Subjects include reading, writing, mathematics, science, health, agriculture, childcare, and many other spheres of instruction. The process of educating young children continues throughout secondary school, where the students gain experience in practical life through field work and the introduction to academic concepts through specialized courses. The academic institutions, or schools, continue to educate students in their specializations, helping them to attain higher qualification in their respective fields of study. For instance, in the United States, there are approximately 8 school systems that offer accredited associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctoral degrees.
While there are similarities between public and private school systems, there are also notable differences, particularly in terms of student records and discipline procedures. Private schools tend to have stricter discipline policies that often include zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol, while most public schools have zero tolerance for drug use and alcohol abuse. Additionally, both types of educational establishments require the submission of standardized testing, with public schools having an increased risk of student-toxicology testing due to their greater exposure to negative peer pressure and school violence. Private schools also have stricter privacy regulations that limit the sharing of student records with outsiders and are less likely to engage in activities that could compromise a student’s safety. On the other hand, both types of educational establishments have the ability to choose their own student leaders and establish academic and extracurricular norms.