Educational Reform, 1949-58

Question 1

Once in power, the CCP regime sought to radically alter education situation…

Answer 1

For this section, the front of the card will be the reform, and the back will be its info.

Question 2

IMPROVING LITERACY

Answer 2

• New form of written language brought in: to simplify traditional & complex characters.
• Rural areas: Min Pan schools vital for improving access: funded by local village.
• Winter schools held short courses for adult peasants.

STATS:

• 1949-57: No. of primary school students increased from 26-64m.
• CCP claimed: 42m peasants attended winter schools of 1951-52.
• Higher Ed. Minister admitted: 78% of pop remained illiterate.
• Only 52% of school age children attended primary school.

Question 3

HIGHER EDUCATION

STATS:

• Uni enrolments almosr x4 from 117-441k.
• 1952-58: 600 Russians taught in Chinese colleges & unis, by 1959: 33k Chinese had been taught in Russian Unis.
• 20 new Polytechnics + new engineering institutes specialised in steelmaking, mining & geology created.
• 1953: 63% of students in engineering, medicine or agri.

Answer 3

• 1950s campaigns forced out most Western faculty & missionary educators.
• H.E: Modelled closely on USSR.
• E.g. Separate Ministry of Education set up in 1952 to co-ordinate intro of prescribed teaching plans, materials & textbooks.
• USSR did same thing.
• Ed. focused on training more students to take up technical jobs needed for running modern economy.
• Institutions of Soviet model reached absurd height.

Question 4

INTRODUCTION OF PINYIN

Answer 4

• Handicap to creation of singular national identity in China: communication.
• No set alphabet in China + words written w. different symbols not letters: complex.
• 1955: Govt introduced new written language based on Latin alphabet.
• Instead of symbols, letters meant words in mandarin: could be pronounced phonetically.
• One of regimes most enduring reforms, remained form of written language in China today!