Open AccessBasic Education Reform in China
Author(s) -
Chengzhi Wang,
Zhou Quan-hua
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
education policy analysis archives
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1068-2341
DOI - 10.14507/epaa.v10n15.2002
Subject(s) - basic education , china , education reform , dual (grammatical number) , economic reform , process (computing) , political science , economic growth , key (lock) , economics , public administration , mathematics education , economic system , primary education , psychology , computer science , art , literature , law , operating system , computer security
China's recent basic education reform followed and, in a certain way, imitated its economic reform. The economic reform merged the experimental dual (planned and market) price systems into a free market economy and yielded phenomenal success. Basic education reform, however, has not succeeded in transforming the introductory dual-track (key school and regular school) systems into a universal one. This article briefly examines the general process and outcomes of basic education reform. It discusses the following questions: Is basic education reform also a story of success? What significant lessons can the Chinese reform experience offer to other comparable developing countries?