Chinese education: Then and Now Essay

Education in China began with the Chinese classic texts, rather than organized religion. The early Chinese state depended upon literate, educated officials for operation of the empire, and an imperial examination system was established in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220) for evaluating and selecting officials. This merit-based system gave rise to schools that taught the classics and continued in use for 2,000 years, until the end the Qing Dynasty, and was abolished in 1911 in favour of Western education methods (Global Oneness Commitment). New approaches to education were encouraged after 1977, after a long period of nothing being done with the growth of education and science. It was in 1985, that school reform was implemented. Schooling was for nine years, with academic achievement having priority over political consciousness. Education comes in two categories – general and specific. The former includes the regular college, junior college, vocations secondary school and middle school levels, and the latter includes elimination of illiteracy rural practical technology training, on-the-job training, education for single-discipline qualification certificates, education for vocational certificates and postgraduate continued education (Asian Info).