China’s literacy rate: (age 15+ who can read and write)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
male: 11 years
female: 12 years (2009)
Literacy rate defined as knowledge of 1,500 Chinese characters in rural locations and 2,000 characters in urban areas.
[ “China: Asia in Focus”, R. LaFleur 2010]
By 2008, adult illiteracy rate in China dropped to only 3.58%. Elementary school and junior secondary school enrollment jumped to 99.5% and 98.5% respectively.
Today, Chinese youth (15-24 years) have a 99% literacy rate.
[Unicef, 2004-2008 data ]
EDUCATION INVESTMENT & PERFORMANCE
Since 1998, China has invested in “a massive expansion of education, nearly tripling the share of GDP devoted to it. In the decade since, the number of colleges in China has doubled and the number of students quintupled, going from 1 million in 1997 to 5.5 million in 2007.”
[Time Mag. “The Real Challenge from China: Its People, Not Its Currency” Oct. 7, 2010 ]
Students from Shanghai’s schools outperformed those from 65 countries/regions, according to report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which has tested high-school students since 2000. Shanghai students were followed by Korea (#2), Finland (#3), Hong Kong (#4), and Canada (#5). U.S. students ranked #24.
[ The Economist online “An International Report Card” Dec. 7, 2010, OECD PISA 2009]
China facts: EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
China has about 400 million students today.
[ “China: Asia in Focus”, R. LaFleur 2010]
Chinese children typically start their formal education at age two.
[ The New York Times “China’s Winning Schools?” Jan. 15, 2011 ]
By the first semester of first grade, students are expected to recognize 400 Chinese characters and write 100 of them.
[ “China: Asia in Focus”, R. LaFleur 2010]
Chinese citizens must attend school for at least nine years. According to data from China’s Ministry of Education, China has a 99% attendance rate for primary school.
[ Wikipedia “Education in the People's Republic of China” ]
Under China’s “Law on Nine-Year Compulsory Education,” primary school is tuition-free. However, students must pay a small tuition fee after the compulsory nine years of education during middle and high school.
[ Wikipedia “Education in the People's Republic of China” ]