Education aims to provide a guided and structured academic understanding that promotes students’ holistic development and underpins political, civic, and economic purposes.
In China, the education policy adopted in 1957, mainly focuses on developing the students morally, educationally, and physically (Powell, n.d.). Education in China permeates in a larger scale, constituting the entire social order rather than merely focusing on the school. It is geared towards producing individuals who are not just educated but also loyal to the Party.
In Chinese history, education was believed to be highly influenced by the philosophy of Confucius. During the 16th century BC, education was a privilege only for the elites or upper-classman, and the goal of education was to prepare the elites to govern the empire through Confucian principles. However, through the establishment of the public education system during the Han Dynasty, commoners were given an opportunity to be educated, which aims to develop a person to be a better man or a gentleman. This allowed the common man to advance to the upper class.
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During this time, the Civil Service Exam was also established in China. Rural schools were built, and the teachings of Confucius were spread throughout the country. The curriculum centers on “The Four Books” and “The Five Classics.” It was believed that people could attain a comfortable life through the books or intellect more than anything else. This continued until the Qing Dynasty.
However, reform in the educational system took place after the Opium War. The educational system was reconstructed in China with influences from Europe, America, and Japan. Chinese traditional way of education was abolished, and the new “Compulsory Education Law of the People’s Republic of China” was promulgated. It aims to standardize and centralized education and include all Chinese students, especially those who were out of school.
Currently, the Chinese Educational System includes at least nine years of basic education for all school-age children comprising six years of primary and three years of lower secondary education.
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