Adult
Education
Just after the founding of the
PRC, when illiterates accounted for more than 80 percent of the
nation??s population, the Chinese government called on the people
to ??develop functional literacy and gradually reduce illiteracy,??
which was the beginning of adult education in China.
The purpose of adult education
in China is to raise the educational level and that of professional
technology, and the practical capabilities of the people who, while
working, wish to change their jobs or are waiting for employment;
provide literacy education for illiterates; continue to provide
education for people who have left regular schools, in accordance
with their educational levels; provide continued education for people
who have received higher education to renew and expand their knowledge
and enhance their professional proficiency; and develop colorful
social and cultural life education to help all China??s people lead
civilized, healthy and scientific lives.
Adult higher learning institutions
include radio and TV universities, workers?? colleges, farmers?? colleges,
colleges for managerial personnel, colleges for in-service teachers
training, independent correspondence colleges, and ordinary colleges
and universities offering adult education (such as correspondence
departments, evening universities and teachers?? in-service training
classes), supplemented by educational TV programs and higher-learning
examination programs for the self-taught. Secondary schools for
adult education include vocational secondary schools, ordinary middle
schools holding secondary vocational classes for workers and cadres,
adult middle schools, adult technical training schools, peasants??
cultural and technical schools and agricultural radio and TV schools,
supplemented by the secondary vocational examination program for
the self-taught. In addition, there are various face-to-face teaching
schools and correspondence schools characterized by in-service training,
guidance and other training. The teaching methods provided by these
schools include full-time classroom teaching, and long-distance
instruction for self-taught students by providing teaching materials,
and audio and video materials. The study methods include full-time,
part-work and part-study, and spare-time methods.
Education comes in two categories??general
and specific. The former includes the regular college, junior college,
vocational secondary school and middle school levels, and the latter
includes elimination of illiteracy, rural practical technology training,
on-the-job training, education for single-discipline qualification
certificates, education for vocational certificates and postgraduate
continued education.
In recent years, the units running
schools for adults have made considerable progress in the acquisition
and improvement of school buildings, teaching instruments and equipment,
and the number and quality of teachers, and the quality of and benefits
from schools are being continuously enhanced. Schools for adult
education have become an important part of China??s education. In
addition to schools funded by the state, there are 1,200-odd institutions
of higher learning funded by society at large, of which 21 are qualified
to issue academic certificates and diplomas. Besides, there are
30,000 schools giving short-term training, in-service training,
continuation courses and guidance.
