An Overview of Private Education Development in Modern China. Occasional Paper.

It is not surprising that private education is gaining importance in China, given the overall context of huge national efforts toward building up a "socialist market economy." However, the fast growth rate in both quantity and quality of profitable private schools in a socialist society has exceeded expectations. This paper examines the modern history of private education in China. The present-day resurgence of private education is rooted in the heritage of private education in Chinese society. Private schools were the precursor of modern Chinese education and played an important role in the country for a long period before 1949. When government policy became more flexible and household income increased substantially, this heritage was revived and became a stimulating factor for the private-education sector. Unfortunately, the system is fraught with difficulties in educational equity and prioritization of subjects. It is common for kindergarteners to learn English before they can speak Chinese fluently, and computer classes are emphasized in many private high schools whereas mathematics is ignored, undermining the establishment of a basic knowledge foundation. As public education expands, private education may face serious challenges in the future if resource diversification and expansion are not balanced with quality. (Contains 25 references.) (RT)