Taiwan vs Brunei
Side-by-side comparison of how these places approach childhood.
Taiwan
In Taiwan, cram schools (buxiban) are so common that streets around them have rush hour at 9 PM.
Taiwan's educational intensity rivals South Korea and Japan โ children's evenings are structured around supplementary classes that extend the school day well into the night.
Brunei
Bruneian children attend free schools, receive free healthcare, and pay no income tax.
Oil wealth funds a cradle-to-grave welfare state where children's education, health, and basic needs are fully subsidized by the sultan.
Taiwan
Nine years of compulsory education plus a 12-year extension making senior high school nearly universal. The curriculum underwent major reform in 2019, adding elective courses and reducing mandatory content. Mandarin is the language of instruction, with Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, and indigenous languages offered.
Brunei
Brunei uses a bilingual system with Malay and English as languages of instruction. The SPN21 curriculum spans preschool through university. Islamic religious education is compulsory for Muslim students. Education is free at all levels.
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