Chinese Education System

Thought I’d write a few things about the Chinese education system that we have learned to this point.  China has nine years of compulsory education, grades 1-9. Many parents send their kids to preschool and kindergarten if they can afford it. It seems that the Chinese people are very conscious of the need for education.  After they complete the ninth grade, they have two choices: High School or Vocational School. A few do not go on, but it sounds like the vast majority select one of these options, which parents do have to pay for. Our guide said that there is a problem with the compulsory education system in that there are many things that are not paid for some families find the expenses a real burden and can’t always send their children. Parents are very concerned about how their child ranks in the classes. If they are ranked lower on a continuous basis, they often take them out of school. They feel it is “losing face”. The special needs stduents go to separate schools and they do not have gifted programs. Those who are considered gifted go right on to the university. They seem to find it odd that we do this differently.  

In the urban areas, the elementary teachers teach only one subject in the elementary grades. They feel the teacher can better prepare with the single focus.  In rural areas, teachers maay teach multiple subjects. The required subjects in all Chinese schools are Chinese, English, and Mathematics.  They do not have as much time devoted to science as these subjects. From the teachers we have been able to ask it sounds like science is taught anywhere from 3-5 times per week depending on the school. They do have a strong emphasis on science starting in middle school. Middle school students have 1 years of physical science, one of chemistry and 2 of biology before high school. In high school all students have 3 years of physics, 2 of biology and 1 of chemistry before graduation. 

I have include a couple photos from our visit yesterday to a rural school  in Tanxia Town Center School. That visit was a highlight of my trip to date. There were 48 4^th grade students in this class!! I will write more about that in another post.