In US Catholic High Schools perfom better than government Schools - Why?

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Educating Our Children: Catholic Schools Doing More With Less

By Anne Marie Riha
Published February 08, 2011 | FoxNews.com

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Earlier this month, President Obama challenged high schools across the county to compete against each other in the second annual "Race to the Top” educational success program for the chance to have him give the commencement address at their graduation. Not included in the contest, though, are the more than 2 million students in America’s Catholic schools.


If they could participate, the nation’s parochial schools would be fearsome competitors.

A 2009 comparison between public and Catholic school SAT scores show that public school students had an overall average of 496 points on the critical reading portion of the test while Catholic school students scored 533 points on the same portion. Catholic school students outscored their public school counterparts by an average of 23 points.


What makes the numbers more impressive is that Catholic high schools spend more than $2,000 less per pupil than public schools. Explanations for the differences in achievement vary.


Students who attended Catholic schools say they were more disciplined and the approach to academics was more regimented. Bridget Ledford, who is a science major at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., says she doesn't think she would have gotten the grades she got in high school if she had attended a public school.
Ledford explained that her Catholic elementary school had a grading system where students received an A-plus or an A-minus and not just an A, subtle differences generally not applied in public schools until later years.


"There was a big focus on academics," Ledford said in an interview, emphasizing that she enjoyed the smaller classes.


But educators who have taught in both public and Catholic education systems say a Catholic school students' achievements are the result of more than just discipline, they begin with their parents’ choice to pay extra for education.


Karen Ristau, who is the President of the National Catholic Educational Association, says that parental choice sets the tone for the student because it "gives a child a real sense of security knowing that the adults are taking responsibility of the child's education."


And Ristau says, that sense of responsibility continues with teachers. Ristau, who began her career as a public school teacher, says teachers are "choosing to teach [at Catholic institutions] instead of belonging to some big pool of applicants in a large district where people are just assigned to a school."


Another advantage that Catholic schools enjoy is flexibility. Very few parochial school teachers are members of the powerful education unions at the center of so many of the fights to reform the public education system.
"When unions get involved in having contracts in schools, they tend to control everything from the operations, to who gets hired... and even the curriculum for that matter," Jeanne Allen who heads the Center for Education Reform told FOX News.


Education experts say the absence of teachers’ unions means Catholic schools can address problems related to curriculum or even class size immediately instead of getting permission from union leaders or renegotiating contacts. Ristau explains that teachers and principals in Catholic schools can address these issues by simply sitting around a table instead of waiting for "five committees downtown" to reach a decision.


Gone are the days when Catholic schools relied mainly on priests and nuns to teach children. There just aren't enough clergy members to shoulder the burden anymore. But, the dioceses that run the schools still have control of their own personnel decisions.


Catholic school teachers are less likely to have advanced degrees than their public school counterparts and generally don’t get the same levels of pay and benefits. But teachers still compete for Catholic teaching slots, a fact experts attribute to the chance to work in a more disciplined atmosphere with families that have made a the choice to seek a better education for their children. Plus, Catholics in the teaching field feel the spiritual tug of serving their church’s mission in the classroom.
Allen explains that Catholic school leaders are keenly aware that if parents don’t think they’re getting what they paid for, then they'll "vote with their feet" and leave the school. That, in turn, encourages careful hiring.


"If you know that at the end of the day that your job is to educate students and you have to educate within a certain mission that actually has a moral basis then you're going to make sure the people you hire are not only on board with your mission, but are effectively serving those kids,” Allen said.


Public school proponents argue that statistics showing Catholic school achievement don't tell the whole story. Jack Jennings, who runs The Center on Education Policy, admits public schools lack higher test scores but he also says public schools have more disadvantages when it comes to the students in their care because Catholic or private school can be selective in the applications process.


"Catholic schools do not have to accept every student like the public school does. And Catholic schools don't generally provide services for children who are disabled," Jennings said. He says there is no difference in test scores when it comes to comparing "comparable kids" in both schools systems.


"The results are the same. There's no private school advantage," Jennings insists.
While Catholic schools generally don’t have the same kind of admissions requirements that elite private schools, do, the cost of a Catholic education can be a barrier for many families despite generous scholarship programs.
Despite the economic woes of the past couple of years, the cost of Catholic schools has not diminished. The average cost of tuition per pupil in a catholic elementary school is $3,383 while secondary education costs $8,182. Parents who choose to send their children to Catholic school still pay for a public school education with their state and local taxes. In 2010, the public education system spent approximately $10,614 per pupil.
This report is part of a FOX News continuing series on educational alternatives.

Read more: FoxNews.com - Educating Our Children: Catholic Schools Doing More With Less

My Question:
Is there anywhere where the Catholic Schools are doing worse than their counterparts in the private or public education system? I'm asking this because some people might not be very fond of catholic schools in Tanzania thinking may be it is probably due to the "mfumo kristo" (whatever that means). I have checked catholic schools in India, Pakistan, Iraq, UK and a number of other places it still seems that catholic schools fair way better than others? Why not try to learn from the catholic systems and try to replicate it in public schools or adopt some of its methodologies?
​

 

[Hukumuzuku]

It ain't for nothing that even the Black Muslim rapper Ice Cube, once rapped back in the 90s:

Man I ain't lettin my damn daughter
go out with no damn Ice Cubes man!
Man what the hell you talkin about man?
I brought my daughter up man,
in a Catholic school, private school
Man what you want with her?
I'm sick of this bullshit!...

 

[chumakipate]

Tusione aibu tuige ukweli ndio huo na chukulia in US wakatoliki ni wachache lakini wamewekeza vema sana katika elimu
kuiga sio kuwa mkatoliki.Tukishirikishe kitengo cha elimu cha catholics katika ushauri.Lakini kikubwa zaidi elimu bila maadili ni
kazi bure.Maadli kwanza the rest is easy

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Binafsi kweli nataka nifanye kautafiti ka kina kidogo maana ingekuwa ni katika nchi za Kikatoliki tu basi tungesema ni utamaduni, lakini shule hizi zinafanya vizuri hata katika sehemu ambazo watu ni wa dini tofauti. Hata Uchina bado catholic schools do better! Siri ni nini?

 

[daughter]

Maybe necta ya huko pia inaudini kama ambavyo ilisemekana ya bongo kuwa

 

[PakaJimmy]

1.Maadili/malezi mema.......2.Dedication ya Walimu(not mslahi-oriented)....3.Utayari wa mwanafunzi(kwa hofu ya mwonekano atakapofanya vibaya)...4.Shule kutaka kulinda rekodi yake...etc!
...5 Uwepo wa nyenzo za kufundishia....6.Ratiba stable!

 

[Nguruvi3]

Binafsi kweli nataka nifanye kautafiti ka kina kidogo maana ingekuwa ni katika nchi za Kikatoliki tu basi tungesema ni utamaduni, lakini shule hizi zinafanya vizuri hata katika sehemu ambazo watu ni wa dini tofauti. Hata Uchina bado catholic schools do better! Siri ni nini?

Kwa uzoefu na mtazamo wangu, shule za Katoliki hazina kitu kipya bali ni vitu vile vile lakini wanavifanya kwa njia tofauti na kwa mtazamo tofauti.
1. Wanafunzi /Walimu /Watawala/ ni wale wale na tunaoishinao na wengine tumesoma nao, hata wengine walikuwa si wakali kihivyo.
Madarasa, chaki na ubao ni vile vile kama vya shule nyingine zozote.
Tofauti: Katoliki wanaajiri watawala wa shule wenye uwezo wa kazi na si akili za hesabu au Physics tu. Wakuu wa shule za Katoliki wapo chini ya uongozi wa kanisa, na uwajibikaji unamgusa moja kwa moja kiongozi wa dini katika eneo husika. Shule zao zinaajiri walimu wenye viwango na kuwasimamia ili watoe wanachotakiwa(deliver). Wanawalipa walimu wao hatakama si zaidi lakini stahiki zao wanapata kwa muda muafaka na kwa heshima! Bodi za shule hizi zinzasimamiwa na wazazi moja kwa moja kwa hivyo uwajibikaji ni kwa mkuu wa eneo kidini, halafu mkuu wa shule, mwisho mwalimu husika (Chain of command ipo from top to bottom) kwahiyo hakuna ubabaishaji. Bodi za shule zao zinaundwa na watu walisoma na waliotayari kutumikia na si kupta posho za vikao. Shule zao zime invest katika education kuanzia maabara hadi maktaba. Kuna nidhamu inayomfunga Mwalimu,mwanafunzi na mzazi kuleta mafanikio.
katika shule zao wanafunzi wakifeli inaundwa tume kuchunguza, wakwanza kuwajibishwa ni mwalimu, halafu mkuu wa shule, then Paroko/Padri au Mlei, na sakata litamshukia mkuu wa jimbo.
Tunaweza kukubaliana au kukubaliana kutokukubaliana, lakini tuseme ukweli bila kusengenyana au kudhihakiana, hawa jamaa wapo serious na education, nasema wakatoliki na wasio, tukubaliane kuwa hawa jamaa mfumo wao umejengwa katika elimu! na hii hutiririka hadi ngazi za chini kabisa. Let us borrow a leaf from them.! na watu wakubali ukweli

 

[Ndeusoho]

Kuna jambo moja la msingi umelisahau. Katika hali tuliyo nayokwenye nchi yetu shule hizi ni zile zinaitwa za binafsi (Private Schools) Ingekuwa tuna mfumo wa elimu unaoeleweka shule hizi zingekuwa zinachukua wale watoto ambao hawakufaulu kujiunga na shule za sekondari za serikali. Kumbuka kuwa shule za serikali ndizo zinazochukua kwanza ile cream halafu wanaobaki wanajiunga na shule za binafsi. Tofauti na ilivyotakiwa iwe, wanafunzi wengi wanaojiunga na shule hizi za binafsi wapo wale ambao ni vipanga na walifaulu kujiunga na shule za serikali lakini kutokana na kutokujali kwa uongozi mzima unaosimamia elimu wazazi wenye uwezo wanawapeleka watoto wao shule binafsi zikiwemo hizi za RC. Hatua hii ya wazazi imesababisha kukawepo ushindani miongoni mwa wanafunzi wanaojiunga na shule hizi za binafsi. Katika hali hii unafanyika mchujo wa hali ya juu kiasi kuwa wale watoto wanaojiweza sana ndio wanaochaguliwa kujiunga na shule hizi. Kama ukitaka kujua jaribisha kumpeleka mwanao St. Francis , Kifungiro, St Marian, St. Ana Marie, St. Maria Gorret uone kimbembe chake. Pamoja na uongozi na uwepo wa mazingira mazuri ya kusomea pia kuchaguliwa wenye uwezo mkubwa kujiunga ni factor. Serikali itakaporudia utaratibu wa zamani wa kuwajali waalimu na kujali shule zake hali itabadilika.

 

[mamakunda]

Binafsi kweli nataka nifanye kautafiti ka kina kidogo maana ingekuwa ni katika nchi za Kikatoliki tu basi tungesema ni utamaduni, lakini shule hizi zinafanya vizuri hata katika sehemu ambazo watu ni wa dini tofauti. Hata Uchina bado catholic schools do better! Siri ni nini?

Si US wala China bali hata India zinaongoza, source rafiki yangu kutoka India na ni Mhindi

 

[Genekai]

Wa mbele ni wa mbele tu. Commitment comes first in any Catholic institutions though there are few exceptions!

 

[Masanja]

Nadhani jambo la msingi ni kuwashirikisha hawa wakatoliki katika sekta ya elimu. Tatizo la serikali yetu na watawala hawawezi (yet hao hao watoto wao wanasoma shule za kikatoliki).

Personally nilisoma shule ya RC..but what I learnt there, I bet siwezi kupata kwingine. HAWA JAMAA WANAFUNDISHA SANA MAADILI NA ELIMU YA KUJITEGEMEA. Ukisoma any Catholic school unafundishwa kuanzia mwanzo umuhimu wa kuwa independent thinker.

I am eternally greatful for the opportunity I had to go through catholic school.

 

[Maria Roza]

And expensive too :first:

 

[Babu Lao]

Only discipline is the main source of performance.... mtoto kama hana nidhamu hata darasani hawezi kufanya vizuri hata siku moja.... Ingawaje wengi wetu linapokuja suala na nidhamu hatuliangalii tunakimbilia lawama tu!!!

 

[mwasungo]

Discipline ndo msingi wa kila kitu, vijana wa siku hizi wapo tofauti kabisa na zamani huyohuyo Fb,uhusiano wa mapenzi,usanii,mjuaji wa kila kitu yeye, na vyote yeye wapi atakuwa na nidhamu? Maadili kwanza serikali imeshindwa kutupa maadili tuwageukie viongozi wa Dini na wazazi waanze upya kutafakari upya urithi wa watoto wao.

 

[RayB]

Article yenyewe inajieleza vizuri mnoo safi sana

 

[RayB]

Kuna shule moja iko kule Msolwa Morogoro ni nzuri sana nilienda nikakuta dogo wa kiislamu anapiga organ ktk kwaya aisee safi sana mixer kubwa

 

[Husninyo]

1.Maadili/malezi mema.......2.Dedication ya Walimu(not mslahi-oriented)....3.Utayari wa mwanafunzi(kwa hofu ya mwonekano atakapofanya vibaya)...4.Shule kutaka kulinda rekodi yake...etc!
...5 Uwepo wa nyenzo za kufundishia....6.Ratiba stable!

7. Mazingira mazuri ya kusome.
8. hofu ya mungu.
9. Wanachaguliwa wachache hivyo ni rahisi kuwamanage.

 

[bullet]

Kuna seminari moja inaitwa Katoke, Buharamulo, wao huchukua wale waliofeli darasa la saba, lakini baadae wanafunzi hao hufanya vizurikidato cha nne kuliko hao waliofaulu darasa la saba. kitu cha msingi ni kuwafanya wanafunzi wawe a nidhamu, pili waelezwe ni kwa nini wako shule, wawe na mategemeo gani baada ya shule. Kuna wanafunzi wengi katika shule zetu hawajui ni kwa nini wako shule. Katika mazingira kama hayo mtoto atafaulu kivipi?

Shule za kikatoliki zinawapa wanafunzi wake malengo ya kutimiza, pia njia za kuyafikia malengo hayo.

 

[Lokissa]

1.Maadili/malezi mema.......2.Dedication ya Walimu(not mslahi-oriented)....3.Utayari wa mwanafunzi(kwa hofu ya mwonekano atakapofanya vibaya)...4.Shule kutaka kulinda rekodi yake...etc!
...5 Uwepo wa nyenzo za kufundishia....6.Ratiba stable!

NI kweli uko sahihi.NImesoma seminary na nilifaulu vema si kwa kuwa nina akili sana ni kujituma. nidhamu,kusikiliza walimu,kazi na michezo na la muhimu zaidi ya yote ni sala(Rozari kila siku, misa kila siku, zaburi) hakuna kudekezwa,kulima nk kila kitu kimepangwa hivo kusoma nako mwisho ni saa 5.hatukuwa na muda wa kuchezea tulikuwa serious kitaifa tulikuwa wa pili nakumbuka.Huwezi amini mapadri na masista wanaofundisha hawajasomea ualimu lakini wanajituma kuhakikisha tunafaulu.hatukuwa na mwalimu aliesomea ualimu.

 

[Lyceum]

Wandugu mwanafunzi hawezi kufaulu kama hana nidhamu. Duscipline in moja ya nguzo kuu za shule za kikatoliki. Nidhamu kwa kila kitu; kwenye mambo binafsi na hata yale ya kijamii. Kwenye shule ngingi siku hizi, nidhamu ni kama ushamba ambao kila mwanafunzi hautaki. Mtoto hawezi kuanya vzuri ktk mazingira na mitizamo hiyo. Nina kabinti kangu all the time ni simu, mitindo, miziki na ameambulia sifuri. HAIWEZEKANI HATA KIDOGO.