According to research reported by China Youth
Daily on June 26, the education gap between urban and rural
areas is increasing even faster than differences in economic
development, despite central government efforts.
Drop-out rates in 17 rural middle schools were
recorded by the survey. The highest rate was 74 percent, and the
average 43 percent. One goal of the national nine-year compulsory
education policy is to reduce it to less than 3 percent.
Schools in many rural areas had three classes in
grade one, two in grade two and only one in grade three.
The survey, by Shanghai's East China Normal
University, was included in a program called "Case Research
into China's Key Education Policies in Transition," launched three
years ago with funding from the Ministry of Education.
The program aims to provide accurate information on
the real situation nationwide and to find reasons for differences
in outcomes as well as formulating detailed public education policy
proposals.
In cities, only 2 percent of primary school leavers
were not enrolled in middle school, compared to 10 percent in rural
areas.
In 2001, the national average rate of middle school
leavers entering high school was 53 percent, while in cities it was
70-100 percent. The rate in the countryside was only 30-40 percent,
and some remote areas reported rates of less than 30 percent.
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Since the continued implementation of China's
"Western Development" policy, the country's central provinces have
become the lowest funded in terms of education. In 2001, the
average annual education input per primary school student was 2,075
yuan (US$250) in east China, 851 yuan (US$103) in central China and
987 yuan (US$119) in western China.
Professor Yuan Zhenguo, the sponsor of the program,
said the education gap is now much bigger than economy gap due to
under funding in rural areas.
(China.org.cn by Wang Zhiyong July 4, 2005)