Reading, Writing and Arithmetic
A Closer Look at Education in China
What we learn and how we learn may differ in
some ways, but schools in China and Minnesota are much the same.
Both systems work to prepare students for the opportunities and
challenges of a fast-changing world.
 Basic education in China includes pre-school
education, primary education and regular secondary education.
Preschool or kindergarten is an important part
of education in China . In cities, students can go full time part
time. Some preschools are even boarding schools. In rural areas,
pre-school education consists mainly of nursery school classes
and seasonal kindergartens. In some regions of the country (those
at are isolated, poor or those with aging populations), preschool
is supplemented with activity centers, game groups, and "mobile" educational
resources that visit the communities. (Think public library bookmobile.)
Just like preschools in Minnesota , Chinese preschools help kids
develop their minds and bodies. Games are a big part of learning.
Primary and Secondary Education
In China , primary and secondary education can
take 12 years to complete. It is divided into primary, junior secondary
and senior secondary stages. The system is very similar to Minnesota's
system of grade school, middle school (or junior high) and high
school.
 The first nine years of primary and secondary
education are compulsory, which means that all students must complete
them. They consist of five to six years of primary education, followed
by three to four years of "junior secondary" education.
Classes run five days a week. The school year
is divided into two semesters for primary and junior secondary
schools. Primary school classes go for 38 weeks, with an extra
week in reserve and 13 weeks for holidays and vacations. Students
study Chinese, mathematics, music, physical education, English
or other foreign languages, and (starting in grade five) chemistry,
physics, and biology
Junior secondary schools go for 39 weeks, with
an additional week in reserve and 12 weeks for holidays and vocations.
Students study Chinese, mathematics, a foreign language, history,
politics, physics, physical education, geography, hygiene, physiology
chemistry, and biology.
 Just like senior high school students in Minnesota,
students in China's senior secondary schools must take required
courses but may also choose "elective" classes that suit their
own interests. They supplement their classroom studies with out-of-class
activities and practice projects.
The school year for senior secondary schools
goes 40 weeks, with one or two weeks in reserve and 10 to 11 weeks
for holidays and vocations. Students attend one of three types
of senior secondary school: an academic school, a specialized school,
or a technical, vocational or agricultural school.
Academic schools concentrating on the humanities
and sciences prepare students for the National Entrance Examination
to enter an institution of higher education.
 Specialized schools prepare students to enter
the work force. They offer courses in allied health, finance and
economics, politics and law, agriculture and forestry and physical
education.
Technical, vocational and agricultural senior
middle schools offer programs in engineering, agriculture, forestry,
medicine, finance, textiles, tailoring, telecommunications and
electronics. About 40 percent of all senior middle school students
attend these institutions.
The subjects of study at all schools are divided
into two categories: "state-arranged" subjects and "locally-arranged" subjects.
That means some areas of study are required by the national government
and others are required by provincial government (similar to our
state governments). The national government sets standards based
on the skills it thinks all Chinese students should have. The provincial
government sets standards based on local and regional needs.
 Making the Grade
Tests are a fact of educational life in China,
just as they are in Minnesota. Students are required to take tests,
quizzes and end-of-term exams. Chinese and Minnesota students may
find their report cards look very similar.
The grading system used in China uses a four-
or five-letter based system. Here is the five-scale system, showing
letters A through F and their Chinese equivalents:
A |
(ÓÅÐã or ÓÅ) |
Excellent |
B |
(Á¼ºÃ or Á¼) |
Good |
C |
(ÖÐµÈ or ÖÐ) |
Average |
D |
(¼°¸ñ or ¼°) |
Satisfactory |
F |
(²»¼°¸ñ or ²»¼°) |
Unsatisfactory (Fail) |
The four-letter scale system looks like this:
A |
(ÓÅÐã or ÓÅ) |
Excellent |
B |
(Á¼ºÃ or Á¼) |
Good |
C |
(¼°¸ñ or ¼°) |
Satisfactory |
D |
(²»¼°¸ñ or ²»¼°) |
Unsatisfactory (Fail) |
Some report cards even use Latin letter grades
(A,B,C,D,F) rather than the Chinese equivalents. And many schools
use numerical grades, generally on a 0-100 scale.
 Classroom Conduct
China is a big country, and schools in different
areas may have different rules for students to follow. But almost
every school in China includes the following rules.
- Love the motherland; love the people. This
always comes first on the list and has been a national slogan
for many years. Chinese students are taught from early childhood
to love their country, to know about its long history, and to
be proud of its current progress.
- Respect parents, teachers and other students.
- Be ready – and happy – to help others.
- Take care of public property.
- Students must not be late for school or leave
early. Any absences must be excused, and students must have advance
permission to leave before the school day ends.
- In class, students must sit up straight, listen
to the teacher carefully and take notes when necessary.
- Students must have permission to answer questions
or speak. Once given permission by the teacher, they stand when
speaking.
Unlike Minnesota, where schools are more tolerant
of the clothing students wear, no strange or provocative dress
is allowed in Chinese schools. College students seldom have strict
dress codes, but elementary, middle, and high schools always have
special rules about dressing. Students are expected to wear clean
and neat clothes. Boys should not have long hair, and girls should
not wear make up, high-heeled shoes or clothes that are too revealing.
Dating is discouraged until after students complete
their education. Because finishing college is a high family priority,
parents do not want children to be distracted from studies by boyfriends
or girlfriends.
Public displays of affection between boys and
girls are very rare. Through high school and college, however,
it is very common to see young people of the same gender holding
hands or walking with their arms around each other.
Factoids:
- Before the foundation of the People's Republic
of China in 1949, basic education in China was lacking. In 1946,
the peak year of educational development, the country had only
1,300 kindergartens, 289,000 primary schools and 4,266 secondary
schools.
- In 2002, there were 111,800 kindergartens
with an enrollment of 20.3 million young children; there were
456,900 primary schools with an enrollment of 121 million students;
and 65,600 junior secondary schools with an enrollment of 66.8
million students.
- China has developed different sets of textbooks
at various grade levels to reflect different needs in different
parts of the country.
Still Curious?
Information from China’s Ministry of Education,
in English
www.moe.edu.cn/english/basic_b.htm
Education in China: Information from World Education
News and Reviews
www.wes.org/ewenr/02march/practical.htm
Basic Information on Education in China
www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/education/
Historical Overview of Education in China
www.math.ksu.edu/~dbski/publication/history.html
|
