Academic Skills There are different education systems in the UK and Pakistan. These two countries exist in different continents, namely Europe and Asia. The United Kingdom (UK) is made up of four countries: Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland; the education system in the UK is not that similar. There are some minimal similarities in some aspects. Pakistan is divided into four provinces. There are differences and similarities in the education systems that exist within Pakistan in their four provinces in the case of UK countries. International comparison of the education system is a key factor in determining how advanced a country is in terms of innovation, technology, infrastructure and other development factors. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast the existing education systems in the UK and Pakistan in terms of structure, curriculum, religious assessments and examinations, among others. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay The existing education system in Pakistan is three-tier; includes elementary (grade 1-8), secondary (grade 9-12) and higher education, also known as tertiary education, which follows after twelve years of schooling. Elementary education is divided into two levels. There is primary (grades 1-5) and elementary or middle school (grades 6-8). They are provided in primary and elementary schools. While in the UK education is compulsory, in Pakistan education is not a compulsory (legal) requirement at all levels and this has led to an increased illiteracy rate and low participation rate at all levels. Children aged between 5 and 9 are enrolled in primary schools. Education is not compulsory by law in some UK countries such as Scotland and England. In Scotland the age of entry for children is five years but it is not established by law as in England; the difference that exists is that in Scotland there are hard and fast cut-off dates to what is normally considered “rising five” (Matheson 2000). Most children in Pakistan's rural schools enroll in primary school when they have reached the age of six or older, unlike in the UK where children as young as 5 are enrolled. In most parts of the UK the primary level is split in two; there is key stage 1 (ages 5-6) and key stage 2 (ages 7-11). This is quite different with a three-tier system used in Pakistan. Primary education lasts 7 years in Scotland and there are no preparatory classes as is the case in England. Secondary education in Pakistan lasts four years (grade 9-12). This is offered in government-sponsored secondary and higher secondary schools. Most of these schools have middle-level classes. The educational institutions that exist in all their provinces are the same, the existence of the colleges is for the purpose of offering secondary classes. In the UK, secondary schools normally cater for the 12-16 age group and sometimes 12-17 or even 18 depending on the country, where students reach A levels. In Northern Ireland, the difference main one that exists is that their institutions exist on the basis of religious communities or sects; their schools are run by three groups: Catholic, community and Protestant. In Pakistan, most schools are government sponsored. Furthermore there is minimal religious influence in their educational sector; Islamic teachings are most commonly taught in various schools. The education system in Northern Ireland is characterized by religious segregation, which does not exist in other countries in the United Kingdom (McAllister &, 2012).