OPINION> Brendan John Worrell
|
OPINION> Brendan John Worrell
|
|
Gaokao and China's evolving education
By BJ Worrell (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-06-06 17:02 Place on top of this the boom in online courses by e-correspondence and we begin to feel more hope on the horizon for those who may have been burned by the gaokao. Another advance on yesteryears is the present "self-study" phenomenon. Here students not admitted into the elite public university sector are given another chance to complete a diploma, which if performed well, may later allow them entrance into a public university to complete a more formal degree. In addition the creation today of industry specific certifications in such fields as translation/interpretation, tour guide operations and nursing, administered through a national testing system, provides skills and options for students beyond high school and parallel to the university sector. Overall, though a bitter pill to swallow, in a globalized world, the training ground that is the present day gaokao provides young Chinese entering adulthood a vigorous initiation into the demands of an increasingly competitive society. On the plus side it brings families together, uniting them for a common cause, while nourishing students/ teacher teamwork cultivating a mindset that is invaluable to the nation. It nurtures an academic robustness that when placed alongside their international peers in the global classroom far surpasses many other nationalities. These ‘finely tuned study machines’ once given the opportunity to embrace cutting edge theory and facilities, excel. My country is just one that has the gaokao to thank for providing a pool of top-notch workers that supports and assists the economy. Whether or not this, "much condemned phenomenon" is appreciated by those actually taking part in it this weekend, perhaps only the benefit of hindsight can provide that answer. For those who do not do as well as they had hoped – which will be at least half totaling around 5 million dejected teenage souls plus their extended families - collectively, as a society, we need to keep working towards solutions that enable job creation and life betterment outcomes for all. Moreover, we need to look at the person behind the job, behind the uniform, because in another place, in another time, in another country, he or she could easily be your boss - if given half the chance.
|
