Rakan Alharbi
ESL 191
12/09/2013
Introduction
Good quality education has always been highly valued in
China. The perception of education has transformed radically over the last 50
years. It has moved from being no actual education system to an education
system that is highly regarded as one of the best in the world. The Chinese
system is the largest system in the world with over 9 million students. The
government of China has played a vital role in the growth of education in
China. They passed an education law that makes nine year basic education
mandatory for all children. This is because they believe that an investment in
educations ensures development for every Chinese citizen.
History of Education in China
Chinese education dates back to ancient times of the Xia
Dynasty. At that time, education was a great honor and opportunity for anybody
and more of a choice. The first simple modes of schooling and learning were
writings on bones or tortoise shells traced back to the Shang Dynasty in the 11th
century BC. As times progressed, schools were built by aristocrats in the
period between the 11th century BC and 771 BC. This was during the
Western Zhou Dynasty and such schools were built for the children of the wealthy
and powerful, and who would eventually ascend to become officials in the
future. Children that were born into poor families never got the chance to go
to school regardless of their gifts and talents. Advancement of education
brought about a system of assessment that became the mode of appointing those
with talents as officials in the Chinese Dynasties (Feng 70).
The examinable systems can be
divided into eras. The chaju and zhengpi in the Han Dynasty, the jiuoin zhongzheng
system from the Dynasties in the South and North, And the Imperial Examination
that survived the Sui Dynasty between 589 BC and 618 BC till the last outdated
Qing Dynasty which was between the years 1644 to 1911. The history of Chinese
education is mostly linked to Confucianism that later progressed and became
modern day education. It was until the Han Dynasty that Confucian thought was
implemented. These ideas were based on the wise teachings of a wise Chinese
philosopher and political advisor (Feng 77).
Confucian education comprised of basic skills like reading, inscription,
calculation and art. It focused on generating academicians to be advisors for
the rulers. Everyone in China had to sit for such examinations and the higher
the levels, the higher positions one would accomplish as a government official.
After the
demise of the last dynasty, Confucianism was eliminated in lieu of scientific progression
so as to transform China into a dominant nation. The immediate systems that
were introduced proved disastrous due to the World War. After attaining
independence, the Chinese government instigated compulsory education. Since
then, there have been major developments in the Chinese education system with huge
declines in illiteracy rates. China has been known for major advances in the
fields of science and technology, boasting of international world class
institutions.
Education System in China
In China, the Ministry of Education is the institution
responsible for the general organization, coordination and management of
various kinds and different levels of education in China. It is the law that
every Chinese child undertakes nine years of formal education. The Chinese
education system is generally categorized into three groups, which are basic
education, higher education and adult education (Su 20). Education is taught in
Mandarin.
Basic education in China entails
pre-school education, primary school education and secondary education.
Pre-school, popularly known as kindergarten, takes a maximum period of up to
three years. Children who are three years old and above can enroll until the
age of six after which they proceed to elementary school. Elementary school
starts with the first grade and continues to either grade five or six. Each
academic year is divided into two semesters, consisting of 19 weeks, which
equates to a total of 38 weeks of schooling for the year (Su 20). The remaining
13 weeks to complete a calendar year are set aside for vacations and holidays.
Primary schools are mostly run by local education authorities given the mandate
by the Ministry. Tuition is free although there are some private schools that are
owned by individuals or organizations.
The secondary school education is split
into regular secondary education and specialized and technical secondary
education. Academic secondary education comprises of junior middle school and
senior middle school. Junior middle school usually takes about three to four
years of learning. It consists of 39 weeks of studying, with one week in spare.
Lower middle school students have to sit for a locally administered entrance
exam, on the foundation that they will have the option of either continuing to
an academic upper middle school or opting to enter a vocational secondary
school. An academic year for senior middle school consists of 40 weeks of
learning, with one to two weeks in reserve (Su 34).
Secondary school education is
designed for children from the ages of twelve to seventeen years. This
education system is run and controlled by local authorities. It is also important
to note that the first three years of secondary schooling are mandatory and
free. No tuition costs. Senior school, on the other hand, is optional, and
students have to pay tuition fees. Private secondary schools offer specialized
education and have a have a bit more of professional employment advantage but
the trainings that they offer are regarded to be of the same capacity as those
of middle schools run by the state (Su 37). In China, graduates from a
secondary professional school are perceived to have attained a higher level
education similar to that of university education. Majority of the students who
graduate from junior middle schools usually proceed to senior middle schools. Some,
on the other hand, do opt to pursue education in vocational high schools or
secondary professional schools which take a period of three to five years of
studying.
With regard to vocational schooling,
it entails undertaking programs that range from two to four years and involves
training intermediate level skilled workers, crafters, managerial and technical
personnel. These schools provide four year training programs to average level
technical recruits. Schools for skilled workers, as they are typically referred
to, teach junior middle school graduates work that requires production and
operation skills and this usually takes a period of three years.
Higher education includes
undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral degrees as well as vocational courses.
These programs are offered in colleges, universities, vocational colleges and
certain institutes. To qualify to enter into such institutes, a student has to
sit for the national entrance examination, which is examined on June every
year. The Ministry has made it possible for the exam to be open to all ages. Acceptance
into such institutions is solely based on each students score in the
examination and due to the high number of people sitting for the exam, it is
often very hard to be selected.
The Chinese higher education system
has an undergraduate system which takes a period of four years. Courses are
offered in universities and specialized institutions, and this leads to
attaining Xueshi, which is a
Bachelor’s Degree. Students who attend medical school and polytechnic schools
have to study for five years (Wang 80). Graduates who have attained a
Bachelor’s degree are able to join postgraduate levels, which generally takes
two to three years. In the program, students are expected to study in the first
half of the duration, and once they have attained all the credits required,
they are allowed to proceed and work on their dissertation. After intense
research and submission of a thesis, students are handed Shuoshi, a Master’s degree. To register for a doctorate commonly
known as Boshi, a student must have
recommendations from at least two associate professors who are also specialists
in that area of expertise. To prove academic ability to undertake intense
independent research, a candidate has to provide a dissertation. This is to
also show that one has made a substantial contribution in the field. This
program takes a minimum of three years and is conferred by a university upon
approval from the Degree Committee of the State Council to the outstanding
scholars (Wang 98).
Chinese state run schools are
required by law to admit children of legal foreign residents. Such residents
require a passport, health records, achievements from previous schools and an
admissions application. For early childhood schools, a birth certificate is
required. For higher levels of education, entrance exams, recommendation
letters, interviews and also assessments will be needed. Children who don’t
speak Mandarin are usually forced to go back a few classes until their
communication skills improve.
There is a variety of programs
offered at schooling institutions for foreigners. They are exempted from the gaokao. An application, copies
of visa and passport, school records, physical exam, photo and proof of
language proficiency are all most students need to gain acceptance to
undergraduate and graduate programs at schools in China. Chinese language
proficiency is typically demonstrated by taking the Hanyu Shiuping Kaoshi (HSK Examination). On a scale of one to
eleven, a basic score of six is required to enroll for undergraduate and
graduate programs. Foreign students usually pay more in tuition than the local
students. However, there are scholarships available which are usually offered
by the Ministry of Education’s China Scholarship Council and the Chinese
government. Students who cannot speak Mandarin can find a range of subjects
that they can study at schools in Beijing and Shanghai.
Impact and Development of Education in China
China has been enthusiastically involved in the
international cooperation and exchanges in the field of vocational
education. China has also made interactions with international
organizations while the bilateral cooperation and exchanges between China and
other countries has been expanded.
The relationship between schooling
institutions, the society and the government has gradually become better and
easier through various ways such as joint establishment, cooperation and
merger. Overlapping of education has been achieved with the local government
taking different responsibilities to provide education. Funding of higher
education, which often depended solely on the government, has now seen pooling
of resources from different channels.
The progress of China’s educational system has seen a major
decrease in illiteracy rates and has also helped unemployment rates to fall
(Hannum & Park 207).
Today, China boasts of having
almost 4 million graduates each year, with a workforce that has completed four
years of university and enters the labor market more knowledgeable. This has
vastly improved China’s economy. Educational institutions have also had a huge
impact on the economy through advancements in research and development. China
and made a substantial effort to assist with the central task of economic
development while at the same time strengthening the basic research. In
addition, colleges and universities in China have taken part in the
construction of science parks and enterprises run by universities or colleges.
Conclusion
As the world becomes more integrated, education has
internationalized very fast, and there is an increase of information and
knowledge with new programs and curriculum. The Chinese system of education has
managed to merge all of these advancements and synced them with their own.
Education in China is considered vital as it not only improves the standard of
the individual and society, but that of the country, as well.
With new
reforms put in motion and education being mandatory for the first nine years
for every child, literacy rates have shot up in China. This always results in progression
in the society. Education has also boosted the economy by having millions of
knowledgeable people enter the labor market each year. This has boosted growth
and development in China, and now it boasts of a thriving educational system as
well as economy.
I believe
education is very important. Not only does it make one wise but it also
improves human kind as a whole as it brings more understanding and cooperation.
Since independence, the educational system in China has grown immensely, and
with the large and increasing population as well as a huge labor force, who can
say that China won’t keep growing? I know I can’t.
Works Cited
Feng, Anwei. Bilingual
Education in China: Practices, Policies and Concepts. Canada: Multilingual Matters Ltd., 2007.
Hannum, Emily. Park, Albert. Education and reform in China. New York: Routledge, 2007.
Su Xiaohuan. Education
in China: Reforms and Innovations.
China: Intercontinental Press, 2002.
Wang, Xiufang. Education
in China since 1976. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2003.
