The issue of the rising dropout rate in rural schools must be
addressed to maintain long-term economic and social development in
rural areas, Chinese lawmakers and political advisors said in
Beijing on Thursday.
A recent survey conducted by the Central Committee of the China
Association for Promoting Democracy shows the average rate of
dropouts in rural junior high schools has approached an alarming 40
percent. Nearly half -- 48.3 percent -- stay at home to work as
farmers, while 16.7 percent leave their hometowns to find work.
The rising rate of dropouts in rural schools has gravely
impaired rural educational development and will hinder economic and
social development, said Wen Jiating, a member of the National
Committee of the Chinese
People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), who is in
Beijing to attend the ongoing annual session of the national
advisory body.
Zhang Chengfen, also a member of the CPPCC National Committee,
urged the government to strengthen its attentiveness to nine-year
compulsory education and set a specific agenda to address the issue
of rural dropouts.
Wen Jiating said the reason behind the rising rate is students'
boredom with classes as well as financial concerns of their
parents.
"Rrural education should be modified so that it is oriented
toward not only enabling students to pass college entrance
examinations, but also improving the quality of farmers as a
whole," said Wen.
Wen suggested that rural schools stop imitating urban schools in
their curricula, instead tailoring them to meet practical needs of
rural students.
At the same time, the income gap between urban and rural
teachers should also be narrowed so that more high-caliber teachers
are willing to work in rural areas.
Deputies to the National
People's Congress,
China's top legislature, have also suggested that pro-education
policies and programs should be implemented to support rural
students in less developed regions.
(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2005)