The foundations of the modern Chinese educational system were laid in the early years of the Communist Party. Thanks to this system, within a few decades, the authorities managed to completely eradicate illiteracy (before 1949, only 20% of the Chinese could read and write) and introduce compulsory primary and secondary education. Despite the fact that many Western educators often criticize Chinese educational principles, the inhabitants of China themselves consider this system to be very effective and well-established.

The education system in ancient China

The first schools in China appeared in the 3rd millennium BC. e. They were of two types:

• Xiang. The children were taught by older members of the community. The younger generation learned from the elders about the gods, hunting methods, crafts and family life.
• Xu. Training in military affairs, as well as writing, counting and the basics of morality.

Over time, the system of educational institutions expanded and became more complex. There was a whole network of schools created by the state or private individuals. For a long time, getting an education in China was the privilege of the upper strata of society. The situation changed under Confucius (551-479 BC), who taught not only representatives of the nobility, but also the poor. There was no specific educational program. Children started going to school at the age of seven. The duration of training depended on the abilities of the student. There were no textbooks in the ancient Chinese school either. It was believed that the simplification of the material and the use of gaming teaching methods would lead to a decline in morality and education in society.

All children studied history, morality, writing, counting and music. People from aristocratic families also comprehended the art of war. Usually only boys attended schools, but wealthy parents tried to educate their daughters as well. Girls also studied general education subjects, but instead of military craft, they learned to compose poetry, dance and do needlework.

The most important discipline of the ancient Chinese school was writing. Knowledge of hieroglyphs opened the most prestigious and highly paid positions before a person. The study of the hieroglyphic system began in schools and continued at universities (the latter began to appear in China as early as the 1st millennium BC).

Education has always been highly valued in China. It was believed that only educated and intelligent people are able to achieve the prosperity of the country. Therefore, China has a special examination system for officials. The examiners had to evaluate how well the future official was familiar with Confucianism, as well as the candidate's ability to reason and argue his point of view.

Early childhood education system in China

From 3 to 6 years old, little Chinese attend kindergartens. Preschool educational institutions are divided into two types:

• Private. Here, the greatest attention is paid to the development of the individual characteristics of the child, his talents, creative abilities, and the first acquaintance with science and art takes place.
• State. In such kindergartens, the main emphasis is on instilling in children the first labor skills. Children learn to serve themselves and perform small household tasks.

Regardless of the type of kindergarten, educators instill in all Chinese kids respect for elders, the desire for success, a sense of patriotism and an interest in politics. The entire educational system in China is built primarily on discipline. From the earliest years, children must strictly follow the schedule and instructions of adults. Educators control even children's games. According to Chinese teachers, such rigor allows the child to become a full-fledged member of society, find his place in life and bring maximum benefit to his people.

School education

In China, schooling lasts 12 years and is divided into three stages:

• Primary (6 years). Every child is required to take several tests when they enter school. The content of the entrance exam is kept confidential. Parents and children cannot even know in what form the entrance examinations will take place. Every Chinese parent considers it necessary to make every effort to ensure that his child gets into the best school in the city. At this stage, children receive basic knowledge about the world and society. Then they first try themselves as workers. School education involves the passage of children's work experience at enterprises or farms.
• Medium (3 years). At this stage, children take advanced programs in the exact sciences, get acquainted with computer science, learn foreign languages, and learn more about politics and the state structure of their native country. After completing the compulsory nine-year education, a student may not go to the upper grades, but receive a secondary vocational education in a technical school or college.
• Senior (3 years). Unlike the first two stages, education in the upper grades is paid. Only those children who wish to enter the university go to this stage of education. Before the start of the school year, the student will have to choose a profile direction - vocational or academic - and pass the appropriate tests.

In China, education and a career are highly valued. Even elementary school students realize the importance of studying and try to study as diligently as possible. Starting from the first grade, children do a lot of homework and additionally study with tutors. Also, students are required to strictly observe school discipline. It is enough to miss only 12 classes without a good reason to be expelled from school.

As a rule, the school day of each Chinese student consists of 6-7 (for high school students - from 8-9) lessons and visits to numerous additional classes, electives and sports sections. Lessons last 40 minutes. Physical education lessons are held every day. Since classes continue for a very long time, after lunch there comes a kind of “quiet hour”, which lasts 60-80 minutes. Usually, before the break, children study the most difficult subjects, and in the afternoon - lighter and more creative ones.

During the year, schoolchildren and students go on vacation twice:

• Summer holidays last from early July to September;
• New Year holidays begin in mid-January and end in mid-February.

During the holidays, children continue to study. By the beginning of the new semester, they will need to submit completed homework assignments to teachers. In addition, many schoolchildren are sent abroad by their parents during the holidays to improve their foreign language skills or to take additional educational courses.

The higher education system in China

Chinese universities are considered among the best in Asia. Diplomas issued by many of them are highly valued in Europe and America. The Chinese leadership is doing a lot for the development of the national higher education. Today, most Chinese universities are huge high-tech scientific complexes with libraries, museums and modern laboratories. The best professors from all over the world are often invited to lecture at universities.

All universities in China are divided into several categories, depending on the prestige and quality of education. School graduates who are preparing to enter the university take a single exam, the results of which are evaluated on a 100-point scale. In order to be admitted to the entrance exams to a university belonging to a certain category, a graduate must pass a single exam for the appropriate number of points. Usually admission to universities takes place in conditions of fierce competition. In some Chinese universities, the competition reaches several hundred people per place.

Studying at universities is not cheap, therefore, especially for students in difficult financial situations, the government has created a system of loans. Also, such students can count on scholarships.

A few years ago, a special program functioned in China, involving the cooperation of universities and large Chinese enterprises. Thanks to this program, all students were employed immediately after receiving their diplomas. Today, graduates themselves are looking for work, with the exception of those who entered the university in the target direction from the enterprise.

PhD

In China, as in the West, there is a three-level system of higher education:

• Bachelor's degree (4 years);
• Master (2-3 years). At this stage, an in-depth study of some subjects is supposed.
• Doctorate (2-4 years).

A student who has received a bachelor's degree can become a postgraduate student. When entering a master's program, a student should be very careful in choosing the direction of study, since the topic of the future dissertation will have to correspond to the chosen field of knowledge.

Education in the magistracy involves attending seminars and lectures, preparing your own projects and reports, as well as publishing articles in scientific collections. For each completed work, the student receives points by which his work is evaluated during the year. If a graduate student gains the required number of points, he gets the right to write his own dissertation. The graduate student is assisted in the preparation of the dissertation by the curator, however, the intervention of the supervisor in the work of the ward, as a rule, is minimized.

The main requirement for a finished dissertation is its uniqueness. Works containing more than 15% plagiarism are not allowed to be protected.

As a rule, postgraduate studies are paid, but students with relevant and important topics of work can count on receiving a government grant.

Today, China's educational institutions annually attract tens of thousands of students from around the globe. For many, a Chinese university diploma has become an indicator of quality and prestige.

Hello dear readers!

In the middle of the last century, the system was reformed, since education was available only for 20% of the population, while the rest remained illiterate. The result of the reform was the opportunity for all children to go to school, and for a number of reasons the parents of only 1% of children did not use it.

Well, let's find out how the process of learning in China proceeds.

Steps of learning

As in our country, the education and upbringing of children in China begins with a visit to a kindergarten. Children enter there at the age of three and complete their stay there at the age of six. Kindergartens are both public and private, the development of which is encouraged in every possible way at the state level.

The program of both types of preschool institutions is basically the same. Let us briefly note that the difference between them is that in private gardens they develop aesthetic and cultural skills more, while in public ones, the main emphasis is on preparing for school and developing the ability to work. There are about one hundred and fifty thousand kindergartens in total. Most of them close at six in the evening, but there are also 24-hour establishments.

The morning here begins with the fact that the national flag of the PRC is raised. Thus, the Chinese from childhood develop a sense of patriotism in the younger generation, as they are incredibly proud of their country. Every minute in the daily routine in kindergarten is scheduled, because the Chinese believe that if you have free time, then you are a slacker.

From childhood, certain habits are instilled here, for example, educators strictly ensure that children wash their hands before eating and after going to the toilet. They are involved in cleaning dishes after a meal. Much attention is paid to the development of industriousness. Kids grow vegetables on the plot, and from the resulting crop they learn to cook affordable dishes on their own.

In general, the direction of education in the kindergarten is such that the child does not even have the thought that he is somehow special. Conditions for the development of individuality are not created here. The behavior of babies is under vigilant control, even when they play. This is both the pros and cons of education.

Chinese families most often have one child, so it is at home that he gets all the attention and adoration of adults, which, of course, cannot but affect his behavior.

However, in general, through the efforts of both the family and preschool workers, little Chinese are obedient and well-mannered. Discipline is a necessary condition for the smooth functioning of the state, and its foundations are laid among this people at a young age.

Note that the Chinese treat children with great love. The desire for childlessness is considered here the highest insult.

This is followed by elementary school, before which you need to be tested. Here they study until the age of twelve. School education for Chinese citizens is free of charge within the nine-year compulsory.

Primary school involves a full day of study, and there are six or seven lessons per day. The curriculum includes many subjects:

• Chinese,
• ethics,
• labor training,
• political education,
• chemistry,
• geography,
• maths,
• foreign language,
• story,
• music,
• physics,
• physical education,
• art,
• biology, etc.

Since it is extremely busy, before lunch they put the main subjects on the schedule, and after it - additional ones. In the process of studying, the guys compete with each other for the right to be considered the best student. There is a common practice of extra classes after lessons with a tutor, often until late in the evening and in several subjects.

School discipline is also quite strict. It is worth missing more than ten classes without a good reason, and the child is threatened with expulsion. Pupils withstand colossal loads, but are also able to achieve excellent results during their studies and after it.

The school curriculum is controlled by the state. The academic year runs from September to early July. Holidays differ in duration from those for Russians, especially winter ones.

They last the whole of January and capture several days of the months adjacent to it. This is due to the celebration of Chunjie - the Chinese New Year. But even during the holidays you need to do an impressive homework.

After completing the course of elementary education, it is possible to enter, without exams, a secondary school belonging to the student's housing district. The office system is not accepted here, when students move from class to class during the day. On the contrary, each class team has its own audience.

Secondary school is the first and second stage, which is paid. At the first level school, the child studies for another three years, after which the nine-year compulsory education ends. Those children who want to study at an institute or university must first complete their secondary education at a secondary school.

Schools of the second stage are of different directions: academic and vocational. Schools with an academic orientation prepare for entering universities, and those with a vocational orientation prepare for work in the manufacturing sector.

Teaching children from other countries

There are some restrictions for foreigners.

A foreign child cannot receive an education in a secondary school if his parents are not in the PRC. In order for him to be able to study, it is necessary that guardianship or guardianship be issued over him. Only a number of advanced schools have the right to accept foreigners.

The guardian (a Chinese citizen or a foreigner) is required to officially find a job without fail in the same locality where the child is studying. If the guardian is also a foreigner, he must have a residence permit in the country.

He undertakes in writing to be responsible for the behavior and academic performance of the ward, and the administration of the educational institution resolves all emerging issues with the guardian.

Education at the school's international department in such schools is paid and in large cities the price can reach up to five thousand dollars for six months. This is due to the fact that the admission of each student must obtain permission from the Ministry of Education.

As a rule, foreigners learn Chinese for the first year and confirm their knowledge in the exam. Other subjects are then introduced and taught in English, Chinese, or both.

International branches of mainstream schools should not be confused with international schools, which also exist in the PRC. They are private, and the cost of getting an education in them reaches ten thousand dollars for half a year.

Their main contingent is the children of foreigners who came to work in China under a contract, the so-called expats. Teaching in them is conducted in English and is fully aimed at continuing education in the West.

International Baccalaureate

Recently, the introduction of the international baccalaureate standard - IB (International Baccalaureate) has become widespread in the world, which since the middle of the last century, at the suggestion of Swiss methodologists, has been positioned as a universal curriculum for schools.

The emphasis in it is not only on obtaining academic knowledge, but also on the development of personal qualities necessary in the modern world: the ability to analyze, compare, conduct research, experiments, describe one's work.

This program is approved in many countries, and leading American, Canadian and European universities accept students with IB diplomas without exams. In China, in a number of schools that are considered the best in the country, this program is taught additionally along with the subjects included in the Chinese standard curriculum.

Education in IB schools is conducted mainly in English, and costs about six thousand dollars per semester. Selectively, some subjects are read in Chinese (for example, the native language and literature).

universities

Examinations at the end of a full school course show what a teenager's chances of entering a university are. The competition is high and amounts to several hundred people for one place. Universities are divided into categories, and where you can go depends on the score that the graduate received in the school exam.

The university program does not differ in structure from that in foreign educational institutions and consists of:

• bachelor's degree
• magistracy,
• doctoral studies.

Future bachelors study for about five years, masters - up to three, and at the age of 26 a student can already become a doctor of science. There are about 100 universities in China. Many of them are academic campuses with all the necessary infrastructure.

Higher education can be paid and free. Paid education costs several hundred dollars a year, and many students take government loans against it.

The state encourages specialists who are ready to take the jobs they need, for example, in agriculture. In this case, the loan will not need to be repaid. There is also a systemgrantsfor training in certain specialties.

Secondary special education

There is also secondary specialized education in China. It aims to prepare a technical specialist, to give him the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary for his future profession. There are much fewer general education subjects in such training. For the future profession in the field of production at school, they begin to prepare from the age of 12, immediately after receiving primary education.

To do this, there is a vocational elementary school, where they study until the age of 15, then a secondary one, where they are trained until the age of eighteen, and, finally, a higher vocational school, after graduating from which at 22, you can start working.

Conclusion

From the foregoing, we can conclude that the organization of education in China is approached fundamentally. No wonder Chinese diplomas are quoted in more than sixty countries of the world.

Well, friends, on this we say goodbye to you! Share the information received with your friends on social networks, and join us - subscribe to the blog to receive new informative articles in your mail!

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The work is devoted to the analysis of the education system in China, the stages of education are considered: from preschool to higher education. China is the leader in the world in terms of population and the country has its own unique education system. The study showed that there is a free nine-year school education in the country, education in the senior level of the school and in higher educational institutions is paid. The main goal of general education schools in the PRC is to form working personnel with a vocational and technical bias and prepare them for entering the country's universities. Admission to universities is carried out according to the results of the unified state exam. The main goal of general education schools in the PRC is to form working personnel with a vocational and technical bias and prepare them for entering the country's universities. The Chinese education system makes high demands on students: high passing scores in universities and paid education.

education system

levels of study

university and vocational education

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The trend in the development of post-industrial society is an increase in the number of people with higher education. However, the labor market in many countries speaks of their oversupply and shortage of workers. How is this problem solved in China? In this regard, it is relevant to study the education system in China. The purpose of the study is to analyze the structure of education in the People's Republic of China, to find out how it meets the needs of the time.

A theoretical analysis of pedagogical, historical literature was carried out in terms of the problem under study, work experience at Henan University, interviews with Chinese students studying at the Chuvash State University, and students of the ChSU named after. I.N. Ulyanov, who completed exchange training in China.

Many countries supported the Bologna process, the transition to multi-level education, the system of bachelor's and master's degrees. China has not been left out. However, its system has a number of features that are different from other countries. The process of obtaining knowledge in China is based on the planned development of public education. The education system in China, at first glance, seems complex, but in fact, each transition from one level of education to another helps to better understand the student's abilities and direct him in the right direction for further education (figure).

Scheme of education in the PRC

The educational system includes: pre-school education, elementary school, incomplete and complete secondary schools, university, doctoral studies.

The first stage is a kindergarten, it can be attended by children from 3 years old. There are two types of preschools: public and private. It is important to note that attending kindergarten is part of the educational process. Without his visit, children are not accepted to school, since it is here that they begin to study pinins, without which it is impossible to master Chinese writing.

Having reached the age of 6, children enter primary school or junior high school, where they study for 6 years. In elementary school, much attention is paid to the development of the child's creative potential. Children spend a lot of time on physical education classes, learn to play musical instruments, improve their knowledge of English and Russian. Lessons start at 7:00 am. Every morning, all students, together with teachers, do physical exercises. Then, from 8.00 to 12.00, natural and mathematical disciplines are studied. From 12.00 to 13.00 there is a lunch break, during which children can sleep at school, and in the afternoon there are three more lessons in the disciplines of the humanities cycle. Then the children do their homework and only by 16.00 can they go home. After graduating from elementary school, students move on to a full secondary school or a vocational high school, where they study for 4 years. Already at this stage, children, their parents must decide whether they will focus on entering a university or obtaining a working profession.

Secondary education is divided into two stages, each stage consists of three years of study. Six years of primary education and three years of lower secondary education are compulsory and free of charge. In 1986, the 9-year compulsory education law was passed in China. In areas where universal lower secondary education is generally implemented, all students who complete primary school can enroll in a secondary school in their community.

For admission to upper secondary school, students take competitive entrance examinations. Children who successfully passed the entrance exams study at the highest level. A feature of Chinese education is that this stage is paid. But if the student could not pass the exams, then no payment will save him. Thus, China's educational policy imposes strict requirements both on the knowledge of schoolchildren and weeds out those who in the future will not be able to pay for their education. The second stage of secondary education also consists of three years of study. Part of it is a two-year school, where students are divided into professional and specialized classes. Graduates of vocational secondary schools can enter secondary vocational schools, where, as a rule, training lasts three years. Researcher O.A. Mashkina points out that the two threads solve different problems. Comprehensive schools prepare students for university entrance, while vocational schools provide graduates with the knowledge that will allow them to find a job after graduation. In total, children study for 12 years in a complete secondary school, and over all these years they have several times passed the most severe selection in the form of transfer qualifying exams. At each stage, students are screened out according to their interests and abilities to study various disciplines. Students in all educational institutions in China are very disciplined. The school has a strict requirement for passes, if a student misses 12 lessons without a good reason, then he is expelled from high school. At the end of the seventh grade, students must pass the final comprehensive testing, and those who successfully pass them are waiting for a higher school (not yet a university), which is a preparatory stage for entering the university. To obtain a certificate of school education, each graduate must pass exams: mathematics, Chinese, physics, a foreign language, history, political science, biology and computer science. To enter a university, each student must pass a special exam according to the established rule. The unified state exam has been in force since 1978. Those children who did not pass the unified state exam are deprived of the opportunity to further study at universities, they are waiting for a vocational school, where they receive a working profession.

The main goal of general education schools in the PRC is to form workers with a vocational and technical bias and prepare them for entering the country's universities.

The vocational profile is subdivided into: technical and professional (agricultural). In special-technical schools (like colleges in the Russian Federation), students receive knowledge in various professions for 4 years. Mainly in demand are such specialties as an engineer in the fuel and energy, foundry, pharmaceutical and light industries. Vocational schools train service and agricultural workers for three years.

Only the best school graduates are recommended to the university. Applicants take four to seven entrance exams. Universities themselves appoint the number of exams and develop their programs. The biggest competition is in technical universities, the competitive selection in them is tough. From 150 to 300 applicants apply for one place. Those who are lucky enough to enter the long-awaited university cannot afford to relax and study poorly. As a result of the university management reform in 2007, there were 1,908 state universities in the country, of which 443 are complex and multidisciplinary universities, 672 are natural science and technical universities, and the rest are monospecialized universities.

Studying in all educational institutions begins in September and consists of two semesters. Accordingly, holidays are in February for one month and one month in summer. Classes at the university begin at 8.00 and continue until 18.30 with a break from 12.00 to 14.00. From half past seven to nine in the evening, various electives are held, which are mandatory for everyone.

School absenteeism is taken seriously. The number of three passes without a valid reason becomes a reason for a second year of study. A student can attend classes, but he is not allowed to take exams. He has to re-study in the same semester with other students, re-listen to disciplines, and only then will he be admitted to the session. If the student was expelled from the university, he loses the right to be restored or study at another university. Such a student can only acquire a working profession and go to work.

In order to get a higher professional education in China, you need to take special preparatory courses with a training period of 2 years, after which the graduates of the course, having passed the exams, are sent to the university. All universities have a two-level system for preparing bachelors and masters. The most talented are recommended by universities for doctoral studies, where they write a dissertation for 2-3 years and receive a doctoral degree.

Studying at universities in China is paid, it ranges from about 700 to 6000 dollars a year, depending on the prestige of the university. Payment is made in RMB. Depending on the specialty, it can vary from 5,000 to 10,000 yuan. This is a lot of money for the average citizen of the country, and therefore many parents take out a loan from banks in order to pay for the education of their children. But there is an important detail, if a university graduate goes to the countryside to work in his specialty, then the loan is written off for him. If a graduate is engaged in entrepreneurship and opens his own business, then he has to pay the loan to the bank in full. You can also get a subsidy. It may partially cover tuition. In 1993, according to the "Program for the Reform and Development of Education", the system of full state support for students was abolished. Chinese students have a saying "a smart student is a rich student". It is the students who excel in their studies who receive scholarships and thus cover their expenses.

Chinese students are distinguished by their composure, discipline and diligence. They understand that only studying at a university can give them knowledge, prestige and a future well-paid job. The state does everything for students: all classrooms are equipped with modern equipment, libraries have electronic versions of books, student libraries are open until 22.00 pm. Dormitories for students are located on campuses and are close to the place of study.

At all faculties, the study of foreign languages ​​is mandatory. The age scale of education in China is oriented from 3 to 45 years. Each university has its own publishing house. Articles of teachers and students are published in scientific journals for a certain small fee. Today, education in China has become available to foreign citizens. The Chinese government allocates thousands of scholarships each year to free education of foreign students in their country.

Thus, the educational process begins with kindergarten, where children receive their first knowledge of Chinese writing. This is followed by a nine-year free school education. This allows all children to gain general knowledge, regardless of the well-being of the family. Further, the training takes place according to the profiles, depending on the choice of the student's direction: either an orientation towards a university education, or a professional one. The state educational policy is thus aimed at early diagnosis of students' professional orientation. The presence of vocational schools makes it possible to solve the problem of professional workers. Paid university education, on the one hand, limits access to it, on the other hand, the possibility of obtaining scholarships (subsidies) for good studies encourages students to be the best in the university. The Bologna system allows Chinese students with knowledge of the Russian language to continue their studies in a master's program in Russia. Thus, the Chinese education system makes high demands on students, but also provides them with decent conditions for learning and development.

Bibliographic link

Azitova G.Sh., Krasnova M.N. FEATURES OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN CHINA // Modern problems of science and education. - 2017. - No. 5.;
URL: http://science-education.ru/ru/article/view?id=26953 (date of access: 03/02/2019). We bring to your attention the journals published by the publishing house "Academy of Natural History"

FEATURES OF SCHOOL EDUCATION IN CHINA

Verisova Anna Dmitrievna
Ural State Transport University
Lecturer at the Department of Foreign Languages ​​and Intercultural Communications

annotation
The article is devoted to the peculiarities of school education in China. “We learn while we are alive. And we will study until we die, ”this is the phrase that can be heard from a Chinese high school student and it fully reflects reality. To achieve something in a country with a population of more than one billion, you need to invest a lot in a child at the stage of school education. The entire education system in China is aimed at achieving high results.

SPECIFICS OF SCHOOLING IN CHINA

Verisova Anna Dmitrievna
Ural State University of Railway Transport
lecturer of foreign languages ​​and cross-cultural communications department

Abstract
The article is devoted to the specifics of schooling in China. "We are learning while we are alive. And we will learn until we won't die" it is a phrase which you can hear from the Chinese high school student, and it fully reflects the reality. If you need to achieve something in a country with a population of over one billion, it is necessary to put a lot into the child on the school stage. The whole system of education in China aims at achieving a good result.

Over the centuries, the Chinese have developed a special attitude towards enlightened people and education in general. Enlightenment played a significant role, both in the development of China itself and other civilizations. Teacher's Day in China was the first holiday of a single profession and, probably, it was no coincidence that they began to celebrate it on the birthday of Confucius.

The multi-million population of China requires a diverse and developed education system, because each student needs to find his own approach. Particular attention in this aspect is given to schools. In 2008, a law was passed making school education free and compulsory for all (the first 9 years of education).

Studying in Chinese schools has both its pros and cons.

Children in China go to school, as in Russia, at the age of 6-7 years. Education at the school is divided into three levels: elementary school (the period of study in which lasts 6 years), secondary school (children study here also for 6 years) and high school (training lasts 3 years). The first nine years of schooling are free, parents pay for high school, but gifted children can receive a scholarship. It is very rare that a Chinese school combines all three levels at once, most often these are three different schools with different names. The territory of Chinese schools is huge, consists of a complex of buildings and is a mini-town. This allows it to accommodate about 4 thousand students, and in one class the number of students sometimes reaches 90 people. Thus, it is very difficult to convey information to all students, an individual approach is lost, basically all tasks are performed by the choir.

Every school has a PRC flag on the grounds, and every Monday children line up and participate in the flag-raising ceremony to the sound of the national anthem, and in order for all students to really participate, they put the smallest ones on stools. Each day determines who will be responsible for raising the flag. Thus, they develop a sense of patriotism in children. Already in elementary school, students sincerely begin to love the party for its past and present merits, and even know some ideological texts by heart.

Classes at school start at 7-8 in the morning and last until 4.30, so children spend about 9 hours at school. From 11.30 to 14.00 children rest, have lunch and sleep. It is believed that with such a load, sleep is very useful. The day is structured in such a way that more complex subjects go first, and after sleep, children study easier disciplines. School holidays are held twice a year: in summer and winter, but even during the holidays, students do not rest, their parents take them to different circles or send them abroad to improve their language.

The discipline in Chinese schools is no less rigid. Respect for the teacher and for the elders begins to be instilled in children from the first grade. Students greet and say goodbye to the teacher while standing. Students perform all actions only with the permission of the teacher, it is impossible to go to the toilet during the lesson, and if the student is not interested in the lesson, usually no one pays attention to it. In some schools, teachers may still hit children on the hands for playing or talking in class, so there is usually silence in the classroom. Among other things, a student who misses more than 12 lessons will be expelled. Such discipline helps students in the future at work. Working in Chinese companies implies a strict hierarchy: the main thing is not to stick out once again, unquestioningly obey the elders (and the older ones in the company are most often the older ones in rank), and thanks to the principles instilled from school, the Chinese do it brilliantly.

Chinese children have a special school uniform - they go to class in the same tracksuits, regardless of whether there is a physical education lesson that day.

Much attention is paid to the Chinese language and mathematics in elementary schools. This is no coincidence, it is believed that the Chinese language helps to develop a mathematical mindset, and mathematics, in turn, develops logic. Also in elementary school they study natural science, physical education, music, history, geography, fine arts, and in some schools such a subject as ethics and morality is also added (the works of Confucius begin to be read to children in kindergarten). Children are required to attend seminars that cover issues of political information. At the lessons, children are also introduced to Russian writers of the Soviet period, and they also read a lot about Lenin.

After elementary school, students are required to go to secondary school, study there for 3 years and this is where compulsory schooling ends.

Not the most pleasant moment in schooling is the constant passing of exams. The child takes the first exams at the end of elementary school. Every parent wants to send their child to the best school, and the higher the level of the school, the more difficult the exams students will have to pass. Interestingly, most often the exams are held in a secret form - no one knows the content of the exam, and in what form it will take place, so parents are on duty near schools and ask those lucky ones who have already entered. But if the child passed the test successfully, this does not mean that the doors of the desired school are open for him. The next step is to collect references from former teachers, but that's not all. Enrolling in a prestigious Chinese school is, to some extent, a lottery. the final decision is made by the computer. Another way to get into a prestigious school is by registration, but one of the prerequisites is that you need to live in such an apartment for at least three years. This trend is especially evident in Beijing. Examinations for admission to high school are more democratic: students know in advance in what form and in what subjects the test will be.

After admission, tests and exams in the life of a child do not end. Every day at the last lesson there is a test. A huge number of tests at school develop logic in students, but do not reflect real knowledge at all.

The disciplines that students study in secondary school are no different from the disciplines in elementary school. In high school, the guys study "round the clock": in addition to lessons until 4.30, it involves a lot of homework in all subjects, additional circles, tutors and very little free time.

At the age of 16, if students decide to continue their studies, they enter the high school, where the program is divided into two profiles: academic (the main emphasis is on preparing for admission to the university) and vocational profile (upon graduation, students can work in technical specialties or in agriculture). In addition, there are schools in which the division takes place according to a different principle: in one department they prepare for passing the Chinese exam “gaokao” (something like our Unified State Examination), in another for entering foreign universities. Recently, there are more and more schools with such a profile division, since many parents, considering Chinese education not the best, try to send their children abroad to study, and some simply bypass the “gaokao” test in this way. "Gaokao" surrenders at the end of the 12th grade in all subjects, and even teachers are afraid of him. While studying in a foreign department, students do not pass the “gaokao”, they study in the 12th grade at an American school and prepare to enter an American university. But they also have their own exams, such as TOEFL or SAT. The subjects in the foreign department are taught in English, and the learning process takes place in a more interesting and creative way. Foreign teachers, who are accustomed to a different system of education, lead the lesson more creatively: students prepare presentations and reports, conduct discussions in groups. But no matter which department a student chooses, they will still have to take the city department exam.

When entering a university, great importance is given to where a person comes from. For example, a Beijinger who gets 500 points for "gaokao" can enter a very good university in Beijing, and a student from a small province with the same number of points will only be expected at a Beijing technical school.

The school education system in China is a direct reflection of government policy. From school, children are taught to respect their elders (not only in terms of age, but also in terms of their position) and unquestioningly follow all instructions. A large workload, circles, tutors, a lot of homework, in turn, also teach that in order to achieve something, you need to work hard, and in a country where the population is not even a few million, but has already crossed the one billion mark, this is important. Already at school, parents prepare a competitive personality from their child, because in a country like China, the strongest “survive”. And most importantly, from school they instill in children a love for the party, for the Motherland and the political course.

Education in China at the moment, by and large, copies Western models, but has a number of significant features.

As you know, in the world there are two options for the development of education, both school and higher education. The first, when they did it well right away and then just developed it, and examples here are Great Britain, the USA and Singapore, and the second, when at first everything turned out disgusting, that then everything had to be broken and redone, as in Russia and China.

Education in China has developed difficult. We will not take ancient history and the Middle Ages, but start immediately from the 20th century, when universities began to appear in China under the influence of British dominance in the region. With the coming of the communists to power in 1949, China, which was previously, in fact, a protectorate of Great Britain, changed course towards cooperation with the Soviet Union, adopting the educational system of an ally - the humanities were pushed back, and the physical, mathematical and natural spheres were put in priority, as at school and in higher education.

Further, with the beginning of the "Cultural Revolution" in China in 1966, all the leading specialists of universities were dispersed by Comrade Mao Zedong on suspicion of counter-revolution, schools and institutions were massively closed, and friendship with the USSR was terminated. The situation of tyranny changed only with the death of the dictator and the coming to power of the main Chinese reformer Deng Xiaoping in 1977, who, by and large, began the formation of China's educational system in its modern form.

General facts about education and literacy in China

China is far from the first in 2016 in terms of literacy in the Asian region. The percentage of literate people, that is, people who can read and write, is about 83%, which means that about 240 million Chinese people cannot connect two words in writing. At the same time, China ranks first in the world in terms of the number of educational institutions - about 1 million and the number of students studying abroad. Education in China, in light of its inaccessibility, is extremely prestigious and expensive. Parents often save money from the very birth of their child for a university, the completion of which guarantees both them and their children a comfortable life and old age.

Preschool and school education in China

Education in China begins for a child from the age of three, when he goes to kindergarten and finishes it at 6. Then the school, which is divided into primary - 6 years, middle - 3 years, and senior - also 3 years. In China, a compulsory 9-year education has been established, after which a student can continue his studies at school and enter a university or immediately go to study at a technical college, which are very common in China due to the large shortage and high cost of universities. For all this, he needs to pass the gaokao - the Chinese analogue of the exam.

Compulsory subjects in Chinese schools are similar to those in other developed countries: languages, biology, mathematics, physics, and so on. Strong emphasis is placed on inviting foreign teachers to teach English. The European appearance of a teacher in China is a guarantee of a decent salary.

School education in China is minimally paid - there are no fees for the education itself, but there are for current expenses (transport, food ...).

Universities in China

As already noted, higher education is incredibly prestigious for Chinese families. To save up money and send a child to a university, whether Chinese or foreign, is the goal of life for the vast majority of parents. Yes, higher education in China is paid, and for a family living in the countryside and cultivating rice on plantations, the fee is absolutely unbearable, despite the fact that the Chinese government is trying to develop a system of grants and targeted education, where the state pays for studies, and the graduate then has to work for a certain period in the specified state institution.

China's university system in China has been reformed over the past 40 years, with many inefficient institutions closed, reorganized or merged with others. The cost of education was rising, and the number of foreign invited teachers and managers grew exponentially.

China's university system is borrowed from the West - admission is based on test results, 4 years of undergraduate, 2 years of master's and about 3 years if you want to become a doctor of science. Priority in China is technical, natural science education due to the best guarantees of employment. The humanities and social sciences are of secondary importance.

In 1993, the Chinese government compiled a rating of 100 universities in China that can count on state support, and the C9 League of the best Chinese universities was created - Beijing, Shanghai, Harbin Polytechnic, Nanjing and others, by analogy with the American Ivy League. Subsidization of these universities is approximately 10% of the total budget spent on universities in China. 10% is a lot.

Many point to the great corruption of higher education in China, although the government is trying with all its might (including executions) to fight nepotism and bribery. Since the competition for admission to a Chinese university averages 200-300 people per paid place, which is incredible even for Harvard, connections are of enormous importance.

Education Trends in China

China, being a socialist state, actively encourages the opening of private schools and universities, which is associated with attempts through private initiative to close the huge shortage of educational institutions in China and raise the level of literacy. At the moment, there are about 70,000 NOUs (non-profit educational institutions) in China that receive grants and subsidies from the state.

The second point is that China is westernizing. There are regular reforms to simplify the Chinese language, which should improve literacy and make writing and reading accessible to many, and China has been encouraging its applicants and students to study and finish their studies abroad, more often in English-speaking countries, for the past 20 years.

The materials of the site economic-development-china.rf were used; chinahighlights.com; UNESKO World Data on Education; economist.com