THE CHINESE EDUCATION INFORMATION
21Oct
Over the millennia, students of all ages in China have had to endure the miseries of rote learning. Teachers have stifled creativity in the pursuit of accumulation of facts, and parents have forced children to spend mind-numbing hours cramming for exams. However, during the past year, the government has been experimenting with what could amount to revolutionary changes in the classrooms of China. The goal is to make education more enjoyable, more useful and, above all, to challenge students to think for themselves.What has driven reform is a belated recognition that the Chinese system of education is not to produce enough innovative thinkers. In addition, students are deeply unhappy. A survey by the Ministry of Education five years ago found that over 80% of students did not like school. Dropout rates have increased in rural areas, partly for economic reasons, but also the stifling atmosphere of their classrooms. Examination pressures often lead to suicide. According to a survey conducted last year among high school students and college freshmen in an area more than 50% had ... [more..]
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