Educational System in China

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN CHINA
Education in China is characterized as the “true religion of the people” and has always played
an important part in Chinese tradition with learning always being highly valued and respected.
History
 Many Chinese scholars believe the history of education in China can be traced back at
as far as the 16th century BC. Throughout this period of time, education was the
privilege of the elites. Confucianism probably is the biggest influence in history of
education in China. The teachings of Confucianism during the Spring and Autumn and
Warring States periods, the curriculum were mainly based on The Four Books (The
Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean, Confucian Analects and The Works of
Mencius) and The Five Classics (The Book of Poetry, The Book of History, The Book of
Rites, The Book of Changes, and The Spring and Autumn Annals).
Education Law of the People's Republic of China
Adopted at the third session of the eighth National People's Congress, promulgated by Order
No.45 of the President of the People's Republic of China on March 18, 1995 and effective as of
September 1, 1995.
The Law on Nine-Year Compulsory Education in China (中华人民共和国义务教育法), which

took effect on July 1, 1986, established requirements and deadlines for attaining universal
education tailored to local conditions and guaranteed school-age children the right to receive at
least nine years of education (six-year primary education and three years secondary education).
Adopted at the third session of the eighth National People's Congress, promulgated by Order
No.45 of the President of the People's Republic of China on March 18, 1995 and effective as of
September 1, 1995.
The Law on Nine-Year Compulsory Education in China (中华人民共和国义务教育法), which

took effect on July 1, 1986, established requirements and deadlines for attaining universal
education tailored to local conditions and guaranteed school-age children the right to receive at
least nine years of education (six-year primary education and three years secondary education).
China’s education system is composed of four components:
 Elementary Education
Involves pre-school; nine-year compulsory education (from elementary to junior high
school); standard senior high school education; special education for disabled children;
and education for illiterate people.
Pre-school education:
Period of study : without specific regulations, can last up to 3 years
Age of the students : 3-5 years old
Primary Education:
Period of study : 6 years
Age of the students: 6-11 years old
Place of learning: Local Government
The academic year is divided into two semesters. At the end of each semester,
there will be examinations.
Under the Law on Nine-Year Compulsory Education, primary schools were to be
tuition-free. Although, parents paid a small fee per term for books and other
expenses such as transportation, food and heating. Under the education reform,
students from poor families received stipends, and state enterprises, institutions,
and other sectors of society were encouraged to establish their own schools.
The primary-school curriculum consisted of Chinese, mathematics, physical
education, music, drawing, and elementary instruction in nature, history,
and geography, combined with practical work experiences around the school
compound.
General knowledge of politics and moral training, which stressed the love of the
motherland, love of the political party, and love of the people was another part of
the curriculum.
A foreign language, often English, is introduced in about the third grade.
Chinese and mathematics accounted for about 60 percent of the scheduled class
time; natural science and social science accounted for about 8 percent.
Putonghua (commonly spoken language) was taught in regular schools
and pinyin romanization in lower grades and kindergarten. The Ministry of
Education required that all primary schools offer courses on morality and ethics.
Beginning in the fourth grade, students usually had to perform productive labor
two weeks per semester to relate classwork with production experience in
workshops or on farms and relate it to academic study. Most schools had after-
hour activities at least one day per week to involve students in recreation and
community service.
Secondary Education:
Period of study : 6 years
Age of the students: 12-17 years old
Place of learning: Local Government
Secondary education has two routes: academic secondary education and

specialized/vocational/technical secondary education.
Academic Secondary Education consists of …
Junior secondary education is more commonly known as (junior) middle school
education, it consists the last three years of nine years compulsory education.
Students who live in rural areas are often boarded into townships to receive their
education
Senior secondary education often refers to three years of high school (or called
senior middle school) education, as from grade 10 to grade 12. Normally,
students who have finished six years of primary education will continue three
more years of academic study in middle schools as regulated by the Compulsory
education law at the age of twelve.
The academic curriculum consists of Chinese, Mathematics, English, Physics,
Chemistry, Biology, Geography, History, Ideology & Political Science, Music,
Fine Arts, PE, Technology, Computing, etc.
In most provinces, students also need to be examined in either natural sciences,
which incorporate Physics, Chemistry and Biology, or social sciences, which
incorporate Geography, History, and Ideology & Political Science.
 General Education
Higher Education
Period of study : 3 years or more
Age of students: 18-26 years old or even older
Place of learning : provincial and central government
Higher education is further divided into two categories:

1) universities that offer four-year or five-year undergraduate degrees to award
academic degree qualifications; and
2) colleges that offer three-year diploma or certificate courses on both academic
and vocational subjects.
Higher education in China has played an important role in the economic
construction, science progress and social development by bringing up large scale
of advanced talents and experts for the construction of socialist modernization.
 Vocational Education
 Adult Education
Without conditions
Postgraduate and doctoral programmes are only offered at universities.
How does education in China compare with other countries?

Innovation is a critical component of national power. It propels countries to develop new
products or methods of production that drive economic progress and enable states to tackle
transnational challenges, such as climate change and global health crises. The ability of a
country to cultivate its capacity for innovation rests with its domestic education system. A well-
educated workforce is instrumental to technological and scientific discovery, which can propel
states to the apex of the increasingly innovation-based global economy. This need is
particularly salient for China as its leaders seek to push the Chinese economy up the global
value chain.
Prepared by:
TERIE ANN GOYENECHE
TRINIDAD - A

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The Law on Nine-Year Compulsory Education in China (中华人民共和国义务教育法), which

The Law on Nine-Year Compulsory Education in China (中华人民共和国义务教育法), which

Secondary education has two routes: academic secondary education and

Higher education is further divided into two categories:

How does education in China compare with other countries?

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