The amount of schooling Chinese receive has risen sharply in the
past two generations, and continues to rise. Since 1986, China has
had a nine-year compulsory education policy, requiring six years of
primary school and three years of secondary school -- the effects
of which are not yet reflected across all sectors of adult
society.
Nationwide, slightly more than a third (36%) of the adults
interviewed for the latest Gallup Poll of China say their
educations did not continue beyond elementary school. In rural
China, however, nearly half of all adults (48%) fall into this
category. Another third (34%) of China's adults report their
educations ended with the completion of junior high school, while
one in five (20%) attended through high school. Roughly a tenth
(11%) of Chinese adults have attended university or technical
college, though this percentage rises to 31% among residents of the
country's 10 largest cities.
The cross-generational differences in educational attainment are
stark. While a mere 6% of Chinese between the ages of 18 and 24 say
their own educations continued no farther than the completion of
elementary school, this is true for 56% of those aged 50 and older.
Similarly, while more than half of 18- to 24-year-olds have
attended either high school (32%) or university/technical college
(20%), only about a fifth of those aged 50 and older have done so
(13% attended high school, 5% attended college).
Obviously, China's earlier generations failed to receive
educational opportunities like those accorded to today's youth --
but it's also worth noting that this deprivation is particularly
acute among older women. Among women aged 60 and older,
44% did not even complete elementary school. Among men in this same
age group, only 13% failed to complete elementary school.
Gender inequality in access to higher education now appears to
have vanished. Nationwide, 23% of women aged 18 to 29 have attended
university or technical college -- statistically the same as men in
this age group (22%).
Muted Satisfaction With Own Education
The positive effects of the relatively recent mandate to
establish years of compulsory schooling have yet to work their way
throughout society -- which is reflected in the relatively poor
ratings many adult Chinese give to their own educations. As noted
in "China's Citizens Optimistic, Yet Not Entirely Satisfied" (see
Related Items), only 43% of Chinese are either very (8%) or
somewhat (35%) satisfied with their own educations, while 55%
describe themselves as either somewhat (32%) or very (23%)
dissatisfied. Rural residents, who generally have less access to
advanced schooling, are significantly less likely to say they are
very or somewhat satisfied with their own educations (39%) than are
their urban counterparts (49%).
Not surprisingly, the level of satisfaction with one's education
corresponds closely to the actual level of education attained.
Those fortunate enough to have attended either university or
technical college are dramatically more likely to be satisfied with
their educations (70%) than are those who did not
complete elementary school (16%).
Strong Satisfaction With the Education Children Are
Receiving
Whatever their misgivings about their own educations, Chinese
parents are likely to be satisfied with the education their
children are now receiving. This no doubt reflects that
today's children have far greater access to extended schooling than
did their parents. It may also reflect recent attempts to improve
the quality of Chinese teaching. The National School Reform,
introduced in 2003, aims to increase teacher interaction with
students and encourage greater classroom participation and
discussion -- features not traditionally characteristic of Chinese
education.
Among Chinese with school-aged children, roughly two-thirds
(65%) are satisfied with the education their children now receive
(16% very satisfied, 49% somewhat satisfied), while just 31% say
they are either somewhat (20%) or very (11%) dissatisfied in this
regard.
Among urban residents with school-aged children, 72% are
satisfied with their children's education -- a share nearly half
again as high as the percentage of urban parents expressing
satisfaction with their own educations (49%). In rural
China, three-fifths (61%) of residents with school-aged children
are pleased with their children's schooling -- sharply higher than
the 39% of rural parents who take this view regarding the
educations they personally received.
Admissions Competition Spurs Private Schools and
Tutoring
Standardized exams are now a prerequisite for acceptance to
academic-track secondary schools, as well as to universities and
technical colleges. In light of the huge dividends such admission
pays for their children's future, a growing number of young Chinese
families now pay to send their children to private classes held
after normal school hours and on Saturdays -- a development
mirroring that of Japan's famed "cram schools."
For those in academic-track secondary schools, the ultimate
objective of this additional effort is the national college
entrance examination, held each year. An outstanding score on this
examination is a prerequisite for admission to the country's best
colleges and universities, of which Tsinghua University, Peking
University, Fudan University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University are
among the highest rated.
Chuanping Zhang, Paul Ni, Yushi Guo, and Lini Yu contributed
valuable insights to this report.
