As the number of university students grows, problems with the quality of education and growing pressure on the job market have become more and more evident, top Chinese advisers warned yesterday.

"Last year, the entrance rate of students in schools of higher learning topped 17 per cent. It shows that higher education in China has already started to enter the popularized stage," said Lu Qiang, a member of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

"However, while the door to higher education is opening wider, the exit is by no means unblocked. The employment situation for college students is grim," said Lu, vice-chairman of China Democratic League, one of the eight non-Communist parties.

There will be 2.8 million college graduates this year, a net increase of 680,000 or 32 per cent from the previous year. The difficulty in employment does not mean there are not enough jobs available.

"Only the employment capability of big cities, govern-ment organizations, State-owned enterprises and institutions and foreign companies has neared saturation," said Zhu Yongxin, a CPPCC member.

He suggested graduates should seek employment in smaller private businesses, which he believed to be the field where the strongest need for labor lies.

Problems within the higher education system itself have also contributed to present employment difficulties, many CPPCC members pointed out.

Lu Qiang said that at present, higher education in China is still stagnated in its tradition of focusing more on academic research and knowledge instillation.

CPPCC members suggested that the adaptable ability of graduates to the job market should be taken as an important item of the education quality appraisal.

"The students' capability and employment rate are the final indicators of education quality," said Wang Yaohua, a CPPCC member from Fujian Province.

He suggested the government should work out an education quality authentication system to supervise the performance of colleges and universities.

Chen Xinzhao, a CPPCC member from the Jiusan Society, also one of the eight non-Communist parties, proposed that the education administrative department enhance controls over the courses offered and enrollment plan.

"The courses offered should be based on the social need, instead of chasing after the hot majors as a swarm of bees," he said.

Besides universities and colleges, high vocational schools have made up an important part of higher education. However, many educators of high vocational education consider themselves inferior and try every means to get rid of the word "vocation."

"Many high vocational schools are doing everything possible to raise their own 'grade,' vying with each other in offering undergraduate degree courses," Chen said.

However, the fact is that the high-grade technical workers are badly in need. In Shenzhen, 90 per cent of the vacancies for such workers still remain unfilled.

Especially with the fast development of modern manufacturing industry and service sector, neglecting high vocational education and only considering it as ordinary education of undergraduate course will surely aggravate the employment pressure, as many CPPCC members warned.

(China Daily March 12, 2004)