Education in the People's Republic of China
From APEC HRDWG Wiki
The People's Republic of China is located in Asia; its policy is that compulsory education is provided free of charge and at the stage of non-compulsory education, a system of tuition fees will be adopted in accordance with the different conditions of all types of education and the economic capacity of citizens. Its education budget is 13% of the national budget.
Contents |
Historical context
China has a 5000-year tradition of respecting teachers and honoring the teaching profession. Education not only played a significant role in ancient China in passing down and developing Chinese civilization, it also made tremendous contributions to the civilization of the world. Modern Chinese education was initiated about one hundred years ago when the country underwent drastic changes.
The People's Republic of China was founded on October 1, 1949. The Chinese people became their own masters, and China entered a new era. From that time, Chinese education has progressed to an entirely new stage.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese Government has attached great importance to the cause of education and has set up a new socialist education system to enhance people's educational attainment. The state safeguards the people’s basic right to education and is dedicated to improving a new system of education by developing schools of all types.
Educational focus
To meet China’s economic and social development and the challenges of the rapid progress of world science and technology, China has formulated and implemented a strategy to revitalize the country through science and education and has made the development of education a strategic priority. China constantly pushes the reform and development of education forward believing that education should be oriented towards modernization. China also believes that education must be combined with productive labor to develop people who are morally, intellectually, physically, and aesthetically ready to be builders and successors of their society. After half a century's development and reform, Chinese education has made splendid progress and looks forward to the new century with vigor and energy.
Educational stages
Generally, education in China can be divided into the following stages:
- Pre-school education for children ages three to five.
- Primary education for children ages 6 to 11: Primary schools are usually run by local education authorities, and in some cases, by enterprises and individuals.
- Secondary school provided to children ages 12 to 17. Local governments are responsible to provide this level of education. Various business authorities are classified as secondary schools or vocational high schools. Their graduates hold the same degree as graduates of senior middle schools and secondary professional graduates. Public secondary schools include junior middle schools and senior middle schools, each of which provides three years of study. Students graduating from junior schools usually go to senior middle schools. Some graduates go to vocational high schools or secondary professional schools for 3-5 years of study.
- Higher education is for vocational college students, undergraduates, postgraduates and doctorial students. Universities, colleges, institutes and vocational colleges provide higher education. These institutions offer courses, conduct scientific research, and provide social services.
Outline of China’s National Plan for Medium and Long-term Education Reform and Development
In July 2010, the Ministry of Education in P.R. China developed a comprehensive document outlining guidelines and strategic goals for reforming, developing, and enhancing the entire economy's educational system, from 2010 to 2020. The complete document is available here.
For more information please visit:
Sources:
