Southern education

The delegation arrived in Guangzhou in southern China today and was greeted by two regional education leaders and a retired principal from one of Hong Kong’s premiere schools. The educators discussed the Chinese education system in the province and the potential for partnerships.

The Tech Valley area educators learned that the typical school day for students in this area of China is 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. for junior and senior high school students and 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. for primary school students.

Stringent testing for placement in junior high schools and admissions  to the non-compulsory section of high school – which begins in 10^th grade – means students typically have two- to three-hours of studying and homework each night following the grueling daytime schedule.

Some educators from the contingent spoke with expressed concern over the impact the long hours have on the students. However, some of those educators who have studied in the US and China have also noted that the youth of America don’t necessarily always understand that learning is not just fun, but also hard work.    

To arrive in Guangzhou, the delegation took a three-hour flight over the heart of eastern China on Thursday.. This followed a 90-minute flight over the country's largest mountain range (with a 10,000-feet peak) on Wednesday, which took the delegation from Tianjin to Xi'an.  

While many Americans know that China has a large population, they may not comprehend the massive size of its cities. Guangzhou is the fourth city on the delegation’s visits, following stops in Beijing, Tianjin and Xi’an. EVERY city the 18 Capital Region visitors have stopped in has exceeded New York City’s population of about 8 million people. China’s population is leaving rural areas and moving to urban centers. Tianjin alone has experienced a 20 percent population growth in the last decade.

 NOTES:

Teens will be teens – Despite the differences in their school day, Chinese teens and American teens do have similarities. Several Chinese teens – primarily girls – have been spotted “glued” to their smart phones texting away while on city buses after school.

Sneaker wars – Chinese students all wear uniforms to school — typically an Adidas or similar brand matching sweat suit. To set themselves apart from others in their classes, they turn to sneakers. Like their American counterparts, they have to have the latest and greatest sneakers to be “cool”.