As holistic, or comprehensive education is gaining ground in China,
people have finally come to realize that high scores alone do not
make a good student in today's highly competitive society.
Holistic education, which aims to train a Jack of all trades and
attaches equal importance to physical and mental health, is
contrary to the traditional rote learning, the predominate way of
teaching students and recruiting high-rank officials in China's
long history.
Even today, this outdated practice still has its aftermath.
In
many primary and secondary schools, textbooks and test papers have
remained the key source of education. Creativity, adaptability and
team work spirit have to give way as multitudes of secondary school
graduates every year compete for limited places in colleges and
universities.
Three years ago, both the Central Committee of the Communist Party
of China and the State Council said "no" to the traditional
spoon-feeding way of education and told schools and parents to
attach equal importance to schoolwork, sports, entertainment and
psychological health.
More importantly, China is in great need of people with all-round
abilities as it opens wider to the world and starts to adoptmany
internationally accepted practices.
This has brought drastic changes to the Chinese value systems and
way of life. Some say it has triggered another revolution in
China.
At
Beijing University, a top institution of higher learning in China,
one third of the full-time students are pursuing a second degree
and another third are doing part-time jobs to gain experience.
"Proficiency in at least one foreign language, computer skills and
a driving license are essential for you to find a niche in the job
market," said Wang Bin, a student from the International Politics
Department, giving his interpretation of "holistic education".
Training programs in a variety of fields are now part of the agenda
for many office workers, who seek to upgrade professional and
all-round skills.
Incomplete figures show that one in 13 people in China receives
professional training each year.
"Gone are the days when one single specialty promised a lifelong
position," said Chen Yu, who is attending an after-work English
course at Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Eloquence and organizational skills are no more considered
synonymous with talkativeness and pushiness as people have come
torealize the importance of communication and teamwork.
A
training program on better communication skills has drawn crowds of
office workers who wish to upgrade their interpersonal skills and
cope better with their supervisors and co-workers.
Meanwhile, many young students and office workers have taken part
in challenging exercises such as rock climbing, bungee jumping and
wilderness explorations as they learn to be persistent, courageous
and teamwork.
At
school, creative students instead of "by rote" learners are being
labeled good students.
Several college students have recently hit the headlines when their
award-winning technological inventions were bought by businesses
for millions of yuan.
"It's a good opportunity for creative students to demonstrate their
abilities by taking part in national science and technology
contests and then marketing their findings," said Huang Heran, an
educationist.
Colleges and universities are readjusting their curricula to ensure
their graduates will adapt easily to society.
Business administration, insurance studies, network journalism and
other fashionable subjects have all been included in curricula and
applauded by students.
As
the planned economy changes to a market economy, individuals are
being encouraged to start up their own businesses. Some
universities have even tailored special programs for students who
have the potential to become entrepreneurs.
Holistic education has also give birth to a large group of talented
juveniles with marked individuality once taken as incompatible with
traditional Chinese values.
Han Han, a teenage writer who shocked his parents and teachers by
refusing to go to college, wrote a best-selling novel in 2000.
The rebellious boy aroused widespread debate in China, but most
people expressed understanding and tolerance. "People out of the
ordinary should always be given the chance to develop their
talent," said Huang, an economist based in Beijing.
(
June 28, 2002)