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July. 09, 2004 Education under One-Child Policy in China Li Rui, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Graduate School of Engineering

From 1979, after years of encouraging reproduction, the Chinese government has implemented a policy known today as the one-child policy. The policy has at times been praised as an effective tool for ensuring that China will be able to continue to support its large population and at times reviled as a tool for human rights abuses and female infanticide. People who support the one-child policy point to figures that the policy has reduced China's population by 250 million. This relieves some of the obvious stress on China, which already has one fifth of the world's population. Also, education is very expensive in China, so the one-child policy allows families to concentrate their resources on one child, thus leading to higher standards of education. Furthermore, women, especially urban women, are now able to concentrate on their careers instead of raising lots of children. This has led to an increased role for women in the workforce. However, critics say that the Chinese government is taking a short term view by implementing this policy and has failed to consider all of the long range effects. For instance, some estimates put the ratio of Chinese males to Chinese females at 117 males for every 100 females; others put this ratio as high as 131 to 100. The average ratio is about 105 males for every 100 females. In addition, the one-child policy has led to the rise of the so-called "little emperors" - only children who are spoiled, since their parents and grandparents have fewer people on whom to spread their largesse. The Chinese government has been forced to start parenting classes and family clinics to deal with this issue. At the same time, China has adopted the education policy of "nine-year compulsory schooling system", which means all children are required to attend school for at least nine years. During the period, students will finish both the primary school program and the junior middle-school program. For higher education, students must pass examinations of all levels. First, one should pass the entrance examination for senior middle schools or middle-level technical schools. Then after two, three or four years, one may sit in for the national college entrance examinations which usually take place on June 7 to 9. Due the grueling weather and the stress one bears all those days, the month of June is widely nicknamed the "black June." Now, traditional childhood education in China currently faces both internal and external challenges changing family structures and increased influence of foreign ideas and values. In particular, the one child policy in the People's Republic of China is altering family roles and child-rearing practices, raising concerns about the possible harmful effects of too much attention and pampering. A study of single child families in the Beijing area found that these 'little emperors and princesses" were more egocentric, less persistent and less cooperative than children with siblings. How have these children adjusted to schools? Or have the schools changed to accommodate them? Does a difficult transition occur for the only child who goes from being the center of attention at home to being part of a large group expected to obey and conform? Most of children may experience a difficult time at first, crying and wanting to go home, but usually they accept the situation and quickly adjust to school routines. Chinese teachers try to comfort and distract such children by interesting them in new toys. Teachers seldom have a problem getting new children to participate in group activities. As one teacher stated, "when they see all the others participating, they do not want to be different." The schools assume that these only children will adapt to the traditional school expectations and, in most cases, this adjustment appears to occur without undue stress or rebellion. The one child policy has, however, affected the schools in another way. It has strengthened the emphasis upon education for young children and the families' strong involvement and investment in their only child. Teachers report that not only are parents very interested in their child's school success, but they are also very quick to criticize teachers if they feel their child has been treated unfairly or too harshly. But it is clear that Chinese parents greatly love and value their children, regarding them as family and national resources. In spite of limited resources, parents and society make major investments in Chinese children and the education system. A recent survey conducted by China National Statistic Bureau shows that more than 60 percent of Chinese families spend one-third of their income on their children's education. The survey covered 502 urban residents living in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Many factors contribute to the rapidly increased family spending on education, and "making sure my kid gets the best possible start" is one of them, as witnessed by the high spending on pre-school education. Many parents try to send their children to the best kindergarten regardless of higher tuition fees. The tuition fees charged by a kindergarten in Beijing can amount to 9,600 RMB (US$1160) per year, even higher than tuition costs for Peking University, the best university in China. Choosing a better middle school for their children also takes money. According to China's education policy, children must attend the middle school within the district where they live. However, many parents want to send their kids to better known or better-equipped schools in other districts, and thus their children's attending those schools entails a lot of money. In recent years, going abroad to study has become a trend among young Chinese. Chinese parents believe there are several advantages to their children's going abroad to study - getting direct exposure to foreign languages and culture may be the most important one. As a result, many Chinese families sent their children to study in Britain, the United States, Australia and Japan to study at extremely high cost. Quite a number of the parents are in debt because of the heavy expenditure. A case in point is a mother who recently sent her 16-year-old daughter to the United States for her high school education. "I have spent too much on my daughter's education over the past years," she said. "If she continues her study in China, I will spend a huge amount of money for her high school again, never mind the ever-rising costs of college. In the US, she can easily master English language very quickly, more importantly, with a foreign diploma, she will be more competitive in the job market should she come back after graduation." But she added that with China's WTO entry, international professional people will be much more in demand so the study abroad should better prepare students for the coming challenges in the years to come. According to these parents, given the fierce competition behind the national college entrance exam, as long as there are prestigious schools and normal schools, there can be no real equal education opportunity for students. In the eyes of both parents and their children, the prestigious schools without question will deliver a quality education in a good study environment with qualified teachers. More importantly, the best schools are regarded as places that will guarantee a bright future. With only one child to shoulder parents' hopes and dreams, parents are willing to making every effort to undertake any financial burden to ensure their children's future through a good education. Let us hear your comment at Let's Talk!

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