China's education system has driven the economic miracle.
In 1986, the Chinese government passed a compulsory education law, making nine years of education mandatory for all Chinese children. Today, the Ministry of Education estimates that above 99 percent of the school-age children have received universal nine-year basic education.
In 2019 I spent months filming a TV drama series called ‘The Chinese Dream’ 梦在海这边. We filmed in Nanjing and Suzhou at various university campuses.
The story line had to do with a group of Chinese studying overseas in the 1980s. My role was to play a top-level professor at at top university in the US who was very demanding and wanted the best for her students.
In 1978, Deng Xiaoping made a strategic decision to send 3,000 students and scholars from China overseas each year to further their educations. These 3000 students were the best and the brightest and it was very competitive to get a spot to go overseas.
The TV drama revolved around these earliest students in the US, their trails and tribulations, their grit and determination to succeed, and their success in securing degrees. These students were haigui 海归 and returned to China to set up successful companies in their chosen fields.
The literal translation of the title 梦在海这边 means ‘dream of this side of the sea’.
玉不琢,不成器 (Yù bù zhuó, bù chéng qì) – One cannot become useful without being educated.
Literally, this old saying means “If a jade is not cut and polished, it can’t be made into anything.” So, training and discipline in education are necessary for proper bringing up children.
According to the World Bank, the literacy rate in China increased from 65.5 percent in 1982 to 96.8 percent in 2018, with the global average rate being 86.3 percent. This is another extraordinary achievement. In 2019, China spent 5.01 trillion yuan education, which is 8.74 percent higher than the year before.
China now has over 2,900 universities and colleges. It has also become popular for international students, with over 500,000 international students studying in the country. These international students are attracted to China's education system because of its high academic standards, world-class facilities, and affordable tuition fees.
I know this to be true. The universities that I have visited are modern and have amazing facilities. And it’s not just the universities, primary and secondary schools all across China are modern with large sports fields with energetic and active students. My own kids went to some of these schools.
Even back in 1986 when travelling in China, I met many overseas students mostly from African countries, all fluent in Mandarin.
I’ve heard that China also offers opportunities for post-graduation work and immigration for international students, making it an attractive option for those seeking to launch their careers in the country.
Something to ponder, on which side of the sea will dreams become reality.
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