14 February 2018 at 9:00 am
China's priorities for education reform
The Chinese Ministry of Education has released its areas of focus for 2018, including a pilot program for reforming the college entrance examination.
Key work for 2018 includes:
- Releasing comprehensive gaokao reform plans for Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong and Hainan, with guidance on gaokao testing subjects for various majors offered at undergraduate level in Chinese universities. For example, by 2020, Beijing will be using a new gaokao system. Students will be tested on the compulsory subjects of Chinese, maths and foreign languages, with students then free to choose three additional subjects from political sciences, history, geography, physics, chemistry and biology.
- Writing the draft of early childhood education law, conducting research announcing the Opinion on ECE Deep Reform and Development to improve the wages and supply of ECE teachers, and urge local government to provide funds to the ECE sector
- Developing a five-year plan on textbook developments for primary and middle school students.
Adele Bryant, ENZ’s Regional Director North Asia, said while these plans are only for students in China, New Zealand providers that host Chinese students should still be aware of them.
“China is moving ahead with its education reform in response to concerns of parents and students around the gaokao and about quality in the early childhood sector.
“New Zealand education providers and exporters should be aware of the developments in such a key market and whether it creates opportunities for direct entry of students, teacher training or provision in the early childhood sector and in education publishing,” she said.
