【明報專訊】Hong Kong children have free education. In the post-Cultural Revolution era, mainland kids were not so lucky. They did not enjoy free education until 27 May 1985, when the CCP Central Committee's Decision on the Reform of the Educational System (The Decision,《中共中央關於教育體制改革的決定》) was promulgated (公布).
1. Background
In the 1950s the mainland focused on its agricultural and industrial development. The Cultural Revolution (文化大革命) broke out in the 1960s. Under the banner of ''eradicating class differences'' (消除階級差別), educated people were sent to the countryside, where they had to do manual work. Education was focused on promoting socialism and criticising rightists.
When the Cultural Revolution (which spanned ten years) ended, the Communist Party wanted to speed up the mainland's modernisation, but there was a severe shortage of trained workers. Though schools resumed, teachers were neither well qualified nor well paid. Schools lacked money, and students were not motivated to learn. So the authorities decided that the education system should be reformed.
2. The Decision and Compulsory Education Law
In May 1985 The Decision was adopted. The authorities aimed at eradicating illiteracy (文盲) and bringing up talents in various fields. Normal colleges (師範學院) were set up, and teachers were required to get qualified. Technical high schools were established to bring up workers. Ways of raising funds and distributing resources were proposed. Emphasis was placed on developing education for the benefit of the disabled and the ethnic minorities (少數民族).
The Compulsory Education Law (《義務教育法》) was enacted and put into operation in 1986. Under the law, nine-year compulsory education is available, children aged six are admitted to primary schools, and parents have to submit formal applications if they want exemption. The law also prohibits the employment of school-age children.
The two documents stress the importance of education in developing areas. Schools in those areas are provided with better support and their teachers are offered attractive remuneration (酬勞).
3. Education in China Today
Nowadays over 90% of mainlanders are literate. Students study in primary schools for five to six years and three to four years in junior secondary schools. No primary or junior secondary school entry exams are held. Those who have finished junior secondary education spend three years in senior secondary schools before they take the National Higher Education Entrance Exam (aka gaokao, 高考) for university admission.
In 2006 the Compulsory Education Law was expanded. The amended law requires the government to inform the public of its education policies. Officials guilty of irregularities should resign. It safeguards the right to education of young inmates who have not completed their compulsory education. Extra curricular activities are promoted.
Tertiary education is now in the charge of the government. While their administration can be centralised, tertiary institutions may lack academic autonomy.
Many Chinese students study overseas. As parents benefit from the mainland's economic development, many of them can afford to send their children to schools in other countries. Of the world's overseas students 25% are Chinese. They outnumber Indians (13%) and South Koreans (9.5%). However, only 36.5% of the 2.25 million students who went overseas between 1978 and 2011 have returned to the mainland.
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