Nora Olson Laura Quaynor Comparative Education 9 February 2009 Blog 3 In chapter sixteen of American Education in a Global Society, Gerald Gutek provides a summary of the Peoples Republic of China’s educational background. His observations of the primary and secondary schools, in particular, surprised me for their limiting opportunities. In the primary schools, a “two-track” system pervades. The better full-time six-year schools are mainly located in the urban coastal cities, while the less developed rural areas receive less education in their part-time and five years schools (hence the “two-track” name). This polarizing method contrasts China’s stance that it is a “classless society” as Gutek points out in his study (Gutek 377). Despite their socialist affiliation, China robs so many of its children of a proper education. Gutek supplies scary statistics of rural education for the primary school age: 90 percent enroll in primary schools, with regular attendance at 60 percent, and a 30 percent graduation rate. Terrifying. These statistics continue into secondary schools with even fewer children even in the urban areas attending. Secondary schools include middle schools. Less than 50 percent of Chinese children receive a secondary education, and only ten percent complete the upper level: senior middle school. This number drop from primary school most definitely occurs do to unavailability. Many of the children’s families are not able to pay for the education. Granted, China has increased its accountability since Mao’s rule, but they need to continue to strive towards a more equal-universal school system to coincide with their equal society.
Nora Olson
ReplyDeleteLaura Quaynor
Comparative Education
9 February 2009
Blog 3
In chapter sixteen of American Education in a Global Society, Gerald Gutek provides a summary of the Peoples Republic of China’s educational background. His observations of the primary and secondary schools, in particular, surprised me for their limiting opportunities. In the primary schools, a “two-track” system pervades. The better full-time six-year schools are mainly located in the urban coastal cities, while the less developed rural areas receive less education in their part-time and five years schools (hence the “two-track” name). This polarizing method contrasts China’s stance that it is a “classless society” as Gutek points out in his study (Gutek 377). Despite their socialist affiliation, China robs so many of its children of a proper education. Gutek supplies scary statistics of rural education for the primary school age: 90 percent enroll in primary schools, with regular attendance at 60 percent, and a 30 percent graduation rate. Terrifying. These statistics continue into secondary schools with even fewer children even in the urban areas attending. Secondary schools include middle schools. Less than 50 percent of Chinese children receive a secondary education, and only ten percent complete the upper level: senior middle school. This number drop from primary school most definitely occurs do to unavailability. Many of the children’s families are not able to pay for the education. Granted, China has increased its accountability since Mao’s rule, but they need to continue to strive towards a more equal-universal school system to coincide with their equal society.