China’s Educational Needs

1. China’s Educational Needs Xiaohua LiuResearch FellowInternational Community Foundation ICF’s Donor Dialogue Series September 10th, 2002

3. China: An Overview • China is the fourth-largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada, and the USA), Covering 9,596,960 square kilometers • China is divided into 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, and 4 municipalities • China’s population is about 1,261,832,482 (as of July, 2000), 20% of the world's total • Population density is highly uneven. Vast desert areas of western China are nearly uninhabited, while areas of eastern China are among the most densely populated in the world. Average population density is about 325 per square mile. • GDP: US $1.06 trillion • Per Capita US$840; PPPI $3,920 (4.7X as high) • Employment: 711.50 million with 212.74 million in urban areas or 36% • Average growth rate: 7.4% (200-2004 projected)

4. China: An OverviewContinued • GDP: US $1.06 trillion • Average growth rate: 7.4% (2000-2004 projected) • Per Capita GDP US$840; PPPI $3,920 (4.7X as high), huge regional gap and rural-urban divide • Employment: 711.50 million with 498.76 million in rural areas or 64% -Surplus of 100 million employees in countryside leading to migration to urban centers • Illiteracy Rate: 16% of population or 201 million people, among them, more than 70% are women, 90% in rural areas, 50% in 8 western provinces with a population of only 10% of the country’s total

5. China’s One Child Policy • Implemented in 1979 in an attempt to raise living standards for the Chinese people • Policy loosened since late 1980’s • China’s fertility rate dropped from 5.81 in 1970 to 1.82 in 2001 • In urban areas, the one child per couple continues to be universal. • But in rural and minority areas, two or more children per family is quite common. Also, many baby girls are abandoned or not registered

6. A Review of China’s Education Needs • A large education system with a shortage in funding • Growing regional differences and an urban-rural divide • Deficiencies in education for women • Unmet needs for a growing number of migrant children • Education Efficiency and quality remain an issue particularly for rural schools

7. China’s Education Gains are Mixed • Due to China’s 1986 Compulsory Education Law , by 2000 all children should, in theory, have the opportunity for 9 years of compulsory education • 6 years of primary schooling+ • 3 years of secondary schooling • Yet, at year end 2000, 500 counties had not achieved the target, 200 counties had not realized universal primary education • Drop out rates remain high in rural areas and among migrant children Source: 2002 Workshop on Decentralization and Intergovernmental Fiscal Reform, the World Bank

8. Five Layers of Finance for Public Services in China • Central government • Provincial government (31) • Prefectural government (331) • County Level (2109) • Townships (44,741)

9. Layers of Responsibility in Education • Central government: Policy-making and overall planning • Province: Formulation of development plans for compulsory education, provision of assistance to counties • Cities(or districts of large cities) and counties: Delivery of services • Each level of government budgets separately for its own area of responsibility

10. Responsibilities in Compulsory Education • “The major responsibility to organize the implementation of compulsory education lies with county government, including managing educational revenues in a unified manner… • Township governments are responsible for the implementation of compulsory education, including safeguarding the right to compulsory education of school-age children and adolescents” ----State Council Guidelines for the Reform and Development of Education in China (1994)

11. China’s School Enrollment-2001

12. Basic Statistics for Primary and Secondary Schools in China

13. Potential Needs for Secondary Education • 125 million children currently in primary schools • Prospects of secondary education for these children uncertain given that there are not enough secondary schools to meet needs, especially in rural areas

14. Case Study: Yangliujing Town Agricultural Middle School,Yunnan • The Yangliujing Town Agricultural Middle School is the only junior middle school in this town of 35,900 people, with 12 functioning classrooms for 698 students or 58 students per classroom. • Yet, there are currently 2,160 middle school age children in the town, many of which are unable to continue their education due to lack of space availability at the school. • With a matching grant of $38,500 from ICF, 24 new classrooms will be constructed permitting the remaining middle school aged students to complete their nine-years of compulsory education.

15. A large Education System with a Shortage in Funding • Public education expenditure as a percentage of GNP was only 2.3% in 1996 (India:3.3%, U.S.:5.4%) • Struggling to educate 19% of the world’s students with only 1.4% of the world’s education expenditure • Per pupil expenditure in 1996 (U.S dollars) China U.S. Primary 45 4,423 Secondary 90 6,245 Tertiary 503 6,505

16. Growing Regional Differences and Rural-Urban Divide

17. Growing Regional Differences and Rural-Urban Divide • Per student expenditure for rural areas much lower than average • 48,492,000 sq. feet dangerous school buildings in rural primary schools (Yunnan 3,618,000 sq. feet) • Poorest education conditions in western poor counties -Unaffordable school fees -Low education quality -School inaccessibility

19. Deficiencies in Education for Women • A disproportionate portion of illiterates are women (see the following chart) • Western rural areas have the most serious problems (Tibet, Guizhou, Qinghai, Gansu and Ningxia) • Factors preventing girls from going to school -Financial difficulties -labor needed by family -Unfavorable geographical conditions -Unsuitable contents of courses -Conventional ideas and customs

20. Deficiencies in Education for Women

22. Unmet Education Needs of Migrant Children • Kept out of public schools by high fees, most migrant children receive education at low-quality private migrant schools • 1.8 million school age migrant children are not receiving education at all • No solid efforts are being made by the government to address the problem although some Provincial governments are beginning to deal with the issue • No significant educational projects yet in this area by NGOs. • The Amity Foundation has a migrant school program in Nanjing but it is on a small scale.

23. Education Efficiency and Quality • The quality of teachers in China is improving overall. • Still, there is a serious shortage of qualified teachers in poor rural areas • China has a low pupil teacher ratio but in rural areas this does not always translate into quality teaching. • Most schools still lack sufficient education facilities and equipment.

25. ICF Educational Funding Initiatives in China • Project Hope initiatives • $298,100 to construct 12 Hope schools in Yunnan and Hubei Provinces • Hundreds of scholarships have been given to needy students. • Planned funding $60K to support one secondary school and nine “one teacher” schools in Yunnan

26. ICF’s emphasis has been on funding the replacement of older and unsafe schools in rural areas with modern school buildings.

27. ICF Educational Funding Initiatives in China-Continued • $132,500 to Nature Conservancy’s Yunnan Great Rivers Project to support school construction, preserving Dongba culture and conservation initiatives including the building of biogas units. • Whole Family Fund (Dr. Alice Tang)—Providing scholarships annually to Xuemian Secondary School in Zhejiang, China

29. ICF funded school in Liutongjiang under construction (Yunnan Province)

30. Completed ICF funded school in Liutongjiang, Yunnan Province

31. Students in Liutongjiang primary school classroom

32. Other Education Projects and NGO Involvement • National Compulsory Education Program • Project Hope • Spring Bud Project • Candle Light Project • Migrant School Project of Amity Foundation

33. Opportunities for Philanthropic Giving and Cooperation • Meeting basic educational needs in western poor counties, especially women’s education • Further improving education quality in other rural areas • Catering to the needs of neglected and disadvantaged population in urban areas, especially migrant children

34. How ICF can help you give to China • In China, a little goes a long way • $40 will support a primary school student in China for one year; • $70 will support a junior secondary student for one year; • $2,500 will help build a one teacher school; • $10,000 to $40,000 will help build a township level primary school • Set up a donor advised fund for specific projects (minimum donation $5,000) • Contribute to ICF’s China Fund • Give as little as $10. Any contribution is gladly accepted.

35. For more information on giving to China visit: www.icfdn.org