Chinese students are not machines

(edited by UPIasia.com)

The problem of China’s education is so deep and broad that it would be difficult to document all its flaws. But to normal people and students, how could they have enough time to read those profound and lengthy articles? What Chinese want to know is how to spend the least money to get their children a relatively good education—being very practical, although they don’t expect free compulsory education for the time being—, while their children have a long-term interest and enjoyment in what they study. This request seems easy to fulfill, but in China, there is a huge hindrance coming from various aspects of society currently, with roots in the drawbacks of our education system.

The defects in our current education is obvious; that is, students are shaped to be exam machines, having too many exams. Millions of families, as well as the whole society, are overwhelmed by the exam-oriented education. Complaints can be heard from many families, and grumbling can also be heard among people within the education system, such as teachers, school principals, and educational officials. Everyone is discontent with the current exam-oriented education. It is unbelievable that it is so difficult to reform an education system that all are extremely unsatisfied with, pointing to the likely fact that those complaining have yet to effectively work together for their common interest. It is really strange!

This strangeness stems from a lack of alternatives to our current education system. There is no room for non-governmental education, meaning that there haven't been private schools that could effectively compete with public ones, from elementary schools to universities. Due to a lack of good competition, inequity has been pervasive in the education process, resulting in relatively fixated classes. An old Chinese saying illustrates this, saying, a dragon gives birth to a dragon, a phoenix to a phoenix, and a rat to a creature able to dig holes. 

In the meantime, the system of the national unified college entrance exam, which decides the fate of students' lives, also contributes to the strangeness. The fundamental education surrounding the entrance exam, and the exam itself, offers an abnormal amount of pressure to students. Consequently, the situation gives an enormous mental burden to both students and their parents.

What gets attention when teachers praise students is their final grade instead of their progressive performance; what gets focused on when principals praise teachers is the proportion of students entering higher education and the percentage of those who passed and whether or not they reach the mark. And what is valued when education officials evaluate school principals is whether they are obedient on top of the above-mentioned achievement of reaching the mark, and also whether they can create an elegant outer semblance of their work—education for all-around development is shown on the outside, while exam-oriented attitudes remain inside—to win many honors, in order that both of them can get credit, and ultimately receive rewards and promotions. 

It’s been long-recognized by people of good sense that this layered series of relationships, students-teachers-principals-education officials, makes the students the victims of the exam-oriented education system, because their right to learn happily is at risk. Students are at the base of this complex pyramid, and thus are the most pressured and suffer the most, with the potential for things to erupt at any time. 

Concurrently, education in China means how much capital parents must invest in their children. Therefore, besides students, the family will also suffer from exam-oriented education. Many rich families can send their children abroad to receive “free” education—one reason for China’s reluctance to reform education—so that those who are left to suffer are the children of ordinary people. While it might be too strong to assert that the desires of the general public are considered “crap” by an unmonitored, unconstrained government, they have very limited usefulness due to the extreme impuissance of the people.

Education officials should consider the extent to which students suffer from exam-oriented education. But only blaming the officials does not reveal the whole root of the problem. Eight years ago, I wrote an article for the South Weekend (a famous review newspaper in China) entitled "China’s education system must be reformed," accentuating the necessity of reforming the education system. Without question, the current education system is no more than a sub-system of the political system; thus, substantial amelioration of the education system won’t be achieved unless the political system is moved towards freedom and democracy. Other than this, there is no way out.