Homework is an important aspect of the education system and is often dreaded by the majority of students all over the world. Although many teachers and educational scholars believe homework improves education performance, many critics and students disagree and believe there is no correlation between homework and improving test scores.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is an intergovernmental organization that conducts research on various topics related to global trade and economic progress. In 2009, the OECD conducted a detailed study to establish the number of hours allocated for doing homework by students around the world and conducted the research in 38 member countries. The test subjects for the study were 15-year-old high school students in countries that used PISA exams in their education systems.
Top 10 countries with the most homework hours
China: 13.8 hours of homework per week
Shanghai has the most homework hours because of its high academic standards and competitive culture. Students in Shanghai, a region in China that now leads the world in PISA test scores, do a whopping 14 hours of homework a week, on average. Wealthier students there do 16 hours. Poorer students do less, but still outperform students in most other countries.
Shanghai’s education system is based on a rigorous curriculum that covers math, science, Chinese, English, and other subjects. Students also have to take exams at various stages of their schooling, such as the high school entrance exam and the college entrance exam, which are very difficult and determine their future opportunities.
Russia: 9.7 hours
Russia has the most homework hours because of its traditional and centralized education system that emphasizes academic excellence and discipline. Students in Russia had an average of 9.7 hours of homework per week in 2009, according to the OECD study. They had to study a wide range of subjects, such as math, science, literature, history, geography, foreign languages, and physical education. They also had to take exams at various
Singapore: 9.4 hours
Singapore has high homework hours because of its competitive and meritocratic education system that aims to prepare students for high-stakes exams and future careers. Students in Singapore said they spent an average of 9.4 hours a week on homework, according to the OECD study. They had to study a wide range of subjects, such as math, science, English, mother tongue, humanities, and arts. They also had to take exams at various stages of their schooling, such as the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), the O-Level and A-Level exams, and the International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.
Kazakhstan: 8.8 hours
Kazakhstan has high homework hours because of its Soviet legacy and its recent reforms to modernize and internationalize its education system. Students in Kazakhstan had an average of 8.8 hours of homework per week in 2009, according to the OECD study. They had to study a wide range of subjects, such as math, science, Kazakh, Russian, English, history, geography, and arts. They also had to take exams at various stages of their schooling, such as the National Testing (NT) that determines their admission to higher education institutions.
Italy: 8.7 hours
Italy has high homework hours because of its traditional and demanding education system that emphasizes academic rigor and discipline. Students in Italy had an average of 8.7 hours of homework per week in 2009, according to the OECD study. They had to study a wide range of subjects, such as math, science, Italian, history, geography, foreign languages, and arts. They also had to take exams at various stages of their schooling, such as the middle school exam and the high school exam, which are very challenging and determine their future opportunities.
Ireland: 7.3 hours
Ireland has high homework hours because of its traditional and strict education system that emphasizes academic rigor and discipline. Students in Ireland had an average of 7.3 hours of homework per week in 2009, according to the OECD study. They had to study a wide range of subjects, such as math, science, English, Irish, history, geography, foreign languages, and arts. They also had to take exams at various stages of their schooling, such as the Junior Certificate and the Leaving Certificate, which are very challenging and determine their future opportunities.
Poland: 6.6 hours
Poland has high homework hours because of its traditional and challenging education system that emphasizes academic rigor and discipline. Students in Poland had an average of 6.6 hours of homework per week in 2009, according to the study. They had to study a wide range of subjects, such as math, science, Polish, history, geography, foreign languages, and arts. They also had to take exams at various stages of their schooling, such as the lower secondary school exam and the upper secondary school exam, which are very difficult and determine their future opportunities.
Albania: 6.5 hours
Albania has high homework hours because of its post-communist transition and its aspiration to join the European Union. Students in Albania had an average of 6.5 hours of homework per week in 2009, according to the study. They had to study a wide range of subjects, such as math, science, Albanian, history, geography, foreign languages, and arts. They also had to take exams at various stages of their schooling, such as the Matura exam that determines their admission to higher education institutions.
Thailand: 6.4 hours
Thailand has high homework hours because of its competitive and exam-oriented education system that aims to prepare students for higher education and global markets. Students in Thailand had an average of 6.4 hours of homework per week in 2009, according to the study. They had to study a wide range of subjects, such as math, science, Thai, English, history, geography, foreign languages, and arts. They also had to take exams at various stages of their schooling, such as the Ordinary National Educational Test (O-NET) and the Advanced National Educational Test (A-NET), which are very challenging and determine their future opportunities.
Iran: 6.2 hours
Iran has high homework hours because of its religious and ideological education system that emphasizes academic rigor and moral values. Students in Iran had an average of 6.2 hours of homework per week in 2009, according to the study. They had to study a wide range of subjects, such as math, science, Persian, history, geography, foreign languages, and arts. They also had to study Islamic subjects, such as Quran, theology, jurisprudence, and ethics. They also had to take exams at various stages of their schooling, such as the National High School Diploma (Konkur) that determines their admission to higher education.
Conclusion
The top 10 countries with the most homework hours are China, Russia, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Italy, Ireland, Poland, Spain, Romania and Japan. These countries have an average of more than 7 hours of homework per week for 15-year-old students. The reasons for such high amounts of homework may vary from country to country, but some possible factors are cultural values, academic expectations, curriculum design and teacher training. Homework can have both positive and negative effects on students’ learning outcomes, well-being and motivation. Therefore, it is important to find a balance between quantity and quality of homework that suits the needs and preferences of each student and teacher.