1 China Country Profile

China Country Profile (Does not cover Hong Kong or other Chinese territories) Introduction China has one of the world's oldest continuous civilisations, consisting of states and cultures dating back more than six millennia. In 2007, the estimated population of China was 1.3 billion, accounting for 24% of the world total. Historically, Chinese people have always emphasised the importance of learning and education. This attitude has been part of a distilled cultural tradition which exerts a huge influence on the educational mentality of the Chinese. It is common for Chinese families to choose to support their children to receive further and better education at the expense of a lower living standard on the part of other family members. The traditional highly competitive imperial examination system is a major component in the concept of education. Pupils and students at all levels are frequently examined throughout the years of their study. In the traditional system education was a means through which students could improve their social position. It still has a strong influence on the way of thinking, although the attitude towards, and the understanding of education, is changing in recent years due to the influence of the West. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the government has adopted a centrally planned political and economic system. The political system is centred on one party with certain powers delegated to provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions. To a great extent, China's education structure and policies are deeply rooted within this system. Central planning is crucial to education institutions at all levels. From 1949 to the late 1950s, China's education system was patterned on that of the Soviet Union, with Russian as the second language taught at school. After the 1950s, however, the Soviet pattern was rejected. The Cultural Revolution period (1966-76) was a time of great political and social turbulence, and had an extreme impact on the education system. Most schools and universities were closed to prepare for a reorientation and restructuring of the whole system. The college entrance examination system was then abolished. Students entered university without having taken any examinations, and there was no form of assessment during the university course. From 1977 onwards, the education system assumed the structure it has today. The National University Entrance Examination system was re-introduced; the programme for schooling has been gradually restored to 12 years, and, from 1997, uniform curricula have been developed. Significant progress has been made at all levels. 1 Currently, the education system in China is divided into three major sectors: school education, technical education, and higher education. Each sector has its own components and goals. The 1986 Compulsory Education Act extended compulsory schooling to nine years, covering primary and lower middle school level. Language of Instruction The medium of instruction is Mandarin. Academic Year The academic year runs from September to July, divided into two semesters. School Education Pre-Primary Pre-school education is an important component of education in China. Pre- school education is mainly provided in kindergartens and generally caters for children from the age of three to six. Provision can be on a full-time, part-time, boarding or hour-reckoned basis. Primary In China, primary and secondary education takes twelve years in total to complete, divided into primary, junior secondary and senior secondary stages. Nine years of primary and secondary education are compulsory. Primary education lasts either five or six years with the former accounting for 35% of the total enrolment and the latter 65% of the total enrolment. The curriculum includes: Chinese language Mathematics Nature Social Studies Physical education Music Fine Art Ideology and Morality Labour 2 A foreign language can increasingly be studied as an option. Qualifications Attainable Certificate of Graduation (from Primary School): To receive a certificate of graduation pupils need to pass examinations in Chinese language and mathematics and meet minimal physical education standards. The examinations are usually administered by schools under the guidance of local educational authorities. On completion of primary education, pupils continue their education at secondary schools. There is no entrance examination for secondary education. Secondary School Education Secondary education is divided into junior and senior schools. Each stage lasts for three years. It is possible to study for four years at junior-secondary level following a five year primary cycle. Junior Middle School Junior middle school pupils study eleven or twelve subjects. The curriculum covers: Ideology and Politics Chinese language Mathematics Foreign Language (usually English) History Geography Physics Chemistry Biology Physical education Music Fine Art Labour Qualifications Attainable Certificate of Graduation (from Junior Middle School): To receive a certificate of graduation pupils need to pass examinations in Chinese language, mathematics, foreign language, politics, physics and chemistry and meet minimal physical education standards. The examinations are usually designed and 3 administered by local educational authorities or schools according to provincial guidelines. Senior and Vocational Schools Upon completion of the nine-year compulsory education period, students are streamlined through entrance examinations to decide whether they go on to senior secondary school, or to a vocational school to learn practical skills oriented towards the job market. The entrance examinations are in the same subjects as the junior school graduation examinations and are designed and implemented by provincial educational authorities. General Academic Senior Middle Schools General academic senior middle schools provide general academic education specialising in humanities or science. The main purpose of these schools is to prepare pupils for the National University Entrance Examination and subsequently for admission to higher education. The demand for places at higher education institutions is very high and the standards for the national entrance examination are rigorous. The curriculum in senior middle schools is changing and from 2007 all new entrants are commencing programmes with the following subjects: Language and Literature – Chinese language and Foreign Language (usually English) Mathematics Humanities and Society – Ideology and Politics, History and Geography Science – Physics, Chemistry and Biology Technology – Information Technology and General Technology Physical education and Health Arts – Arts or Music and Fine Art Comprehensive Practice – Research Orientated Study, Community Service and Social Practice. The General Senior Secondary Unified Graduation Examination is undertaken in many provinces on completion of senior schooling. It is designed and administered by the provincial authorities and is known as the “provincial exam”. However, with the introduction of the new curriculum referred to above, graduation examinations are increasingly undertaken by individual schools. Secondary Vocational Schools There are three types of secondary vocational schools – specialised senior secondary schools, vocational senior secondary schools and skilled workers 4 schools. The distinctions between the various types are reducing and all such schools are being re-titled secondary vocational schools. Specialised senior secondary schools mostly have programmes with a strong applied focus. Students may only have to pass practical examinations. Students typically receive a Certificate of Graduation from a specialised senior secondary school as well as a mid-level occupational certificate. During the 1990s many specialised senior secondary schools were upgraded to higher-level vocational colleges. These colleges take students to higher level vocational qualifications paralleling the standard of two-year diploma courses in the universities (See section on Higher education and training). There are still a small number of such higher-level programmes remaining in specialised senior secondary schools which have not been upgraded. Vocational senior secondary schools are similar to specialised senior secondary schools and are very employment-orientated. Students typically receive a Certificate of Graduation from a vocational secondary school and may also receive a Certificate of comparable educational competence of general senior secondary school. Skilled worker schools are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Labour rather than the Ministry of Education. Typically these comprise three years of study and training people as skilled workers. Students typically receive a Certificate of Graduation from a skilled workers school, as well as a mid-level occupational certificate. Since around 2000 the progression opportunities for graduates from secondary vocational schools have been improving. They now can take the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) immediately (rather than waiting a number of years) and there are increasingly options into higher level vocational colleges. Qualifications Attainable Certificate of Graduation (from Senior Secondary School; Specialised Senior Secondary School; Vocational Senior Secondary School and Technical Workers School). All generally now give access to the National College Entrance Examination, which gives access to higher education and training.

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