Let old education order change, yielding place to new

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By Gotthard Frick (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-23 07:49

It is in the interest of a peaceful world that China becomes strong and stable, and contributes to the global balance of powers. But its dependence upon foreign know-how is not contributing to this long-term goal, instead its intention of turning the country into a research and innovation base is a step in the right direction.

But can this be achieved under the existing education system? People can be mobilized to fight a pandemic, but not to become Albert Einsteins or Bill Gates.

What type of person is likely to be innovative or creative? Definitively not a docile, memorizing, yes-saying individual. The person has to be a free and literal thinker, and could have only been an average or poor student, or even a dropout. Such persons are often the difficult and eccentric types, undisciplined perhaps, who don't fit easily into strict hierarchical structures.

One consequence of Confucianism is that parents still take decisions even for their grown-up children, especially when it comes to education. This causes an enormous waste of resources because many students drop their subject for good after their first degree.The fundamental rule in China's education system is to memorize, to listen more than to speak. Exams measure a student's capacity to memorize, rather than his or her power to think.

Growing up in such a system, students look primarily for more diplomas, not additional knowledge. They believe jobs and incomes depend on the level of their diplomas. They are not aware that modern economy needs people who can think and know a discipline from bottom to top. For instance, people who learn the basics of business administration before doing their master's in the subject are more successful.

China's economic development may be unprecedented, but doesn't seem to be built on sustainability. This does not mean the obvious (inefficient use of energy, causing pollution), but reflects the lack of practical competence and skill, and the missing attention to details. It seems China has been building and producing for the immediate present. China has a dearth of qualified craftsmen. Those that have excellent practical knowledge and highly developed skills and work with their hands are missing. No modern country can survive in the long run without a very large number of such people. They are not only necessary in continuing to produce and build, but also to maintain and repair what has already been produced and built. Though the Ministry of Labor is devising certificate courses for some types of craftsmen, a comprehensive national vocational education system with recognized professional diplomas is necessary. (See also Lisa Carducci in China Daily, 2009.06.16)

Developing craftsmen/women is an ideal way to help many average citizens' economic development. Being in high demand and having a good income, they could, after a few years of experience, start their own small companies and employ other qualified craftsmen like themselves. Some could even develop their firms into medium-sized companies or even large corporations, as has happened on a large scale in Europe, particularly Switzerland, Germany and Austria.Reforming China's education system, including the required change in attitude and teaching methods of millions of teachers at all levels, is a giant task. Educators, teachers and administrators have to learn to see young people as their junior partners, not as a threat to their authority, and should encourage them to think.

If hundreds of millions of docile young Chinese learn to think freely, take their own decisions, ask questions and disagree, it could lead to an explosion of spectacular discoveries, new methods and products. A wise government would certainly take up that challenge.

The author is a Switzerland-based commentator.

(China Daily 07/23/2009 page9)