One of the first things I do when I know I'm headed somewhere, is start to learn about my destination. This page will share some of my findings, particularly as they connect to volunteering there.
Education in Rural China
As of year-end 2000, China had 440,284 rural primary schools with an enrollment of over 85 million children, accounting for 65 percent of all primary school students and nearly half of all enrolled students at all levels of schooling.
The Law on Nine-Year Compulsory Education, 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 (five years primary education and four years secondary education). People's congresses at various local levels were, within certain guidelines and according to local conditions, were to decide the steps, methods, and deadlines for implementing nine-year compulsory education in accordance with the guidelines formulated by the central authorities. The program sought to bring rural areas, which had four to six years of compulsory schooling, into line with their urban counterparts.
Despite these achievements, rural education in China is still generally weak. There are 431 counties throughout the country that haven't popularized the nine-year compulsory education system. In some rural places where compulsory education has been instituted, the level of education is still low and the foundation unstable. Problems such as students dropping out of school because of poverty, defaults in the payment of teachers, and ramshackle schoolhouses that have fallen into disrepair over the years still exist in quite a number of places.
According to a 2006 report from China Education and Research Network, on average, farmers make an average of 3200 RMB (400USD) annually and must pay 800RMB (100 USD) for one year of their child’s education. In early 2006, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao promised to eliminate rural school fees for the compulsory education of rural children over a two year period; however, until schools receive government funding to cover expenses, they cannot get rid of the tuition. Additional fees such as medical care, housing, and traveling are also considerations for rural families.
Teachers are poorly paid (some make as little as 200RMB/month), often poorly trained, overworked and may not teach the requisite information for passing national exams. English, in particular, is one of the most debilitating areas for students hoping to pass the 2-4 day (depending on region) college entrance examinations in which English is one of three primary sections tested (with Chinese and mathematics). Hence the great need for native English speakers to teach (and volunteer!).
The Law on Nine-Year Compulsory Education, 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 (five years primary education and four years secondary education). People's congresses at various local levels were, within certain guidelines and according to local conditions, were to decide the steps, methods, and deadlines for implementing nine-year compulsory education in accordance with the guidelines formulated by the central authorities. The program sought to bring rural areas, which had four to six years of compulsory schooling, into line with their urban counterparts.
Despite these achievements, rural education in China is still generally weak. There are 431 counties throughout the country that haven't popularized the nine-year compulsory education system. In some rural places where compulsory education has been instituted, the level of education is still low and the foundation unstable. Problems such as students dropping out of school because of poverty, defaults in the payment of teachers, and ramshackle schoolhouses that have fallen into disrepair over the years still exist in quite a number of places.
According to a 2006 report from China Education and Research Network, on average, farmers make an average of 3200 RMB (400USD) annually and must pay 800RMB (100 USD) for one year of their child’s education. In early 2006, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao promised to eliminate rural school fees for the compulsory education of rural children over a two year period; however, until schools receive government funding to cover expenses, they cannot get rid of the tuition. Additional fees such as medical care, housing, and traveling are also considerations for rural families.
Teachers are poorly paid (some make as little as 200RMB/month), often poorly trained, overworked and may not teach the requisite information for passing national exams. English, in particular, is one of the most debilitating areas for students hoping to pass the 2-4 day (depending on region) college entrance examinations in which English is one of three primary sections tested (with Chinese and mathematics). Hence the great need for native English speakers to teach (and volunteer!).
photo by pmorgan
Albert Park, Wen Li, and Sangui Wang, School Equity in Rural China, 2003. Paper prepared for the International Conference on Chinese Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
A 5 Minute Guide to Rural Education in China, 2009. http://blog.socialventuregroup.com/svg/2009/05/a-5-minute-guide-to-rural-education-in-china.html
Education in the People's Republic of China. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China
Albert Park, Wen Li, and Sangui Wang, School Equity in Rural China, 2003. Paper prepared for the International Conference on Chinese Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
A 5 Minute Guide to Rural Education in China, 2009. http://blog.socialventuregroup.com/svg/2009/05/a-5-minute-guide-to-rural-education-in-china.html
Education in the People's Republic of China. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China
