Population Trends: Education

Question 1

Cultural revolution impact on education

Answer 1

It’s said that the cultural revolution has to be one of the biggest disruptions to education in the modern world.

Question 2

Cultural revolution impact on education (statistic)

Answer 2

• More than 1 millions schools and 43 universities forced to close
• Schools reopened in 1966
• Huge decline in high school and completion rates
• The generation that could not graduate between 1966 and 1968 became known as the 老三

Question 3

Literacy rates through the years

Answer 3

Before the Communist party, 80% of China’s population was illiterate
1982: 66%
2021: 99.83%

Question 4

Why has China’s literacy rates grown fast?

Answer 4

• Upwards slope since 1982 until 2022
• Leaders have introduced political, economic and educational policies
• In 1982, compulsory education was written into the Chinese constitution, postulating a 9 year compulsory education

Question 5

Cultural Revolution date

Answer 5

1966-1976

Question 6

Literacy rate before

Answer 6

This was the focus of the People’s Republic of China in the early years
- in the 1949, the literacy rate was only between 20-40%

Question 7

Compulsory education

Answer 7

With the education reform plan in May 1985, the authorities called for 9 years of compulsory education and the establishment of the State Education Commission

Question 8

Improvement in education (funding) in 7th Five year Plan

Answer 8

Official commitment to improved education was evident in the substantial increase in funds for education in the 7th Five-Year Plan which amounted to
- 72% more funds than the previous plan (1981-85)

Question 9

7th Five Year Plan

Answer 9

In March 1986, the State Council submitted “The 7th Five Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People’s Republic of China, 1986-1990”
- It was the first time in China’s history that an all-round plan for social and economic development was created at the start of a new five-year plan.

Question 10

State budget for education statistic

Answer 10

10.4% in 1984

16.8% in 1986

Question 11

The great leap forward

Answer 11

1958-60

Question 12

The Socialist Education Movement

Answer 12

1962-65

Question 13

Measures to reduce academic elitism

Answer 13

The Great Leap Forward and the Socialist Education Movement sought to end deeply rooted academic elitism and eliminate the tendency of scholars and intellectuals to disdain manual labour

Question 14

Impact of the nine-year compulsory education

Answer 14

• By 1999, primary school education has become generalised in 90% of China and mandatory nine year compulsory education now effectively covered 85% of the population

Question 15

Illiteracy rates

Answer 15

Illiteracy in the young and mid-aged population has fallen from over 80% down to 5%.

Question 16

Current Chinese international students

Answer 16

• China has more students studying abroad than any other country
• since 1979, there have been 697,000 Chinese students studying in 103 countries and regions

Question 17

Increased investment in eduction

Answer 17

the proportion of the overall budget allocated to education has been increased by 1% point every year since 1998.

Question 18

Nine -year compulsory education

Answer 18

1 July 1986
- enables students have free education at both primary schools (grade 1 to 6) and junior secondary schools (grade 7 to 9).
- funded by government, tuition is free.
- Schools still charge miscellaneous fees.
- Senior secondary school (grade 10 to 12) and college education are not compulsory and free in China.

Question 19

Current education in China

Answer 19

In June 2022, there were 11.93 million students taking the National Higher Education Entrance Examination (Gao Kao) in China.

Question 20

Problems with education attainment

Question 21

China’s Education Modernization 2035 plan

Answer 21

launched to set the direction for the development of the education sector from “capacity” to “quality”, and that the modernization of education should support the modernization of China.