Test-Oriented Test-Oriented Education in ChinaEducation in China

And How Can We Relieve Students And How Can We Relieve Students From ItFrom It

The Matriculation ExamThe Matriculation Exam

• Three daysThree days

• One numberOne number

==

• The university you attendThe university you attend

• Your majorYour major

Impact on studentsImpact on students

• 75% students spend over 14 hours a 75% students spend over 14 hours a day on school work in senior yearday on school work in senior year

• 42.4% parents ask their children to 42.4% parents ask their children to attend part-time classes in Summer attend part-time classes in Summer vacationvacation

• Limited extracurricular activitiesLimited extracurricular activities

• 70% students spend less than 3 hours 70% students spend less than 3 hours on sports per weekon sports per week

Way of LearningWay of Learning

• Math and sciences: mechanical repetitionMath and sciences: mechanical repetition

• Foreign language: grammar and wordlistForeign language: grammar and wordlist

• Chinese: framework of essayChinese: framework of essay

• Other humanities: memorizing factsOther humanities: memorizing facts

• Highly-competitive education and Highly-competitive education and higher standards has some meritshigher standards has some merits

butbut

• Cram-education: easy to forgetCram-education: easy to forget

• Students passive and less creativeStudents passive and less creative

• Not balanced, not well-roundedNot balanced, not well-rounded

Recent ReformsRecent Reforms

• Design exams that can’t not be Design exams that can’t not be prepared for through crammingprepared for through cramming

• ““Burden Relieving”: banning certain Burden Relieving”: banning certain part-time courses, put limit on part-time courses, put limit on weight of schoolbags, etcweight of schoolbags, etc

What can we do (I): valuesWhat can we do (I): values

• Society should value overall ability Society should value overall ability rather than diplomarather than diploma

Better system elsewhere?Better system elsewhere?

• Content of SAT: no betterContent of SAT: no better

butbut

• Not much test crazeNot much test craze

• Reason: admission systemReason: admission system

Reality in ChinaReality in China

• Too many students, too few Too many students, too few universitiesuniversities

1100

3786

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

Inst. Of Higher Edu

21

2.8

0

5

10

15

20

25

HS Graduates (in millions)

ChinaUS

What can we do II: What can we do II: mechanismmechanism

• Admission system aim at overall Admission system aim at overall quality– enhanced law and regulation quality– enhanced law and regulation neededneeded

• More capital and resources put into More capital and resources put into educationeducation

A Long Way to GoA Long Way to Go

• Reform in people’s values Reform in people’s values

• Reform in system and mechanismReform in system and mechanism