Nanfang Metropolis Daily:
I have a question for Mr. Chen. Education receives much attention from the outside world. In the past 70 years, what have been the most distinctive characteristics and features of China's education system?
Chen Baosheng:
Over the past 70 years, Chinese education has made great achievements and experienced a historic change. To summarize the characteristics and features in the simplest of words, they are "quick” and "equal.”
Chen Baosheng:
When the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, the net enrollment rate of primary schools was only 20% and the number of college students was only 117,000 from a total population of 450 million. We completed the implementation of compulsory education in 20 years, while the process cost developed countries 100 years. Through 70 years of development, the gross enrollment rate of three-year preschool education reached 81.7%; the net enrollment rate of primary schools for children reaching school age reached 99.95%; the gross enrollment rate of junior middle schools was 100.9%; the gross enrollment rate of senior middle schools reached 88.8%; and the gross enrollment rate of higher education was 48.1%.
The second feature is that it is equal. Pursuing equity is an important target of society and also the development of education.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the firm leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, we have placed more emphasis on realizing education equity. First, giving a preferential treatment to rural areas. We realized synergies between urban and rural areas in school construction, staffing, standard quota of public expenditure per student, and standard of basic equipment and outfits. 99.8% of urban and rural schools managed to achieve the basic requirements needed to function as a school. Now when you go to the countryside, they always mention that their most beautiful place is the school. Second, promoting equity was weighted toward disadvantaged groups. We have established a financial support system for students from poor families ranging from preschool education all the way to postgraduate education. Over the past decade, we have supported nearly one billion students with funds totaling 1.45 billion yuan. We have also enhanced education for children with disabilities and made progress especially in groups with hearing, mental and visual impairment. Almost all countries with a population of over 300,000 have special education schools and the compulsory education enrollment rate of children with the above-mentioned three kinds of disabilities has reached over 90%. This is an important index of social civilization. Third, promoting equity was weighted toward minorities. Over the past years, we have offered classes for ethnic-minority students. The student number totaled 935,700 and it promoted education development in areas with large ethnic minority populations. Fourth, promoting equity was weighted toward poor areas. We implemented a special enrollment plan targeting students undergoing exams in rural and poverty-stricken areas and the number of enrolled students totaled 478,000. Following this current path, we will unceasingly accelerate our modernization of our education system, build strength in education and make our people satisfied. This is our general target. Thank you.
