Description
China is experiencing an unprecedented phenomenon: breakneck industrialization on a scale and at a pace not seen before. It is trying to achieve in just a few decades what Western nations took more than a century to do. The arrival in the country’s cities of tens of millions of rural dwellers, at most semi-skilled, has put huge strain on the country’s system of vocational education, known as TVET. How have the Chinese authorities and their education administrators responded? Is China’s TVET system adapting to the rapidly evolving needs of its industry? Using the province of Yunnan as a subject, this detailed case study is a closely argued and sanguine analysis of the operation of TVET in China. The authors deployed a set of internationally comparable criteria to offer a searching assessment of current performance, at the same time documenting areas of strength and weakness. The question the authors’ methodology answers is how well China’s TVET system is performing compared to technical and vocational education structures in other countries. In fact, they discover that in Yunnan, a province representative of the challenges faced nationwide, much has indeed been done, from a wholesale overhaul of programs to make them relevant to industry requirements, to major investment in infrastructure. Teacher training has been reformed, and take-up of professional master’s and doctoral courses has been encouraged. Joint initiatives with bodies such as UNESCO have improved training and vocational education at high school level. While there is a strong international history of such comparative evaluations, which are essential for policy makers to benchmark their administration, few studies have included China despite the enormous amount of value that can be learned from that country’s experience. This work will provide vital material for researchers, governments and development agencies alike. Table of Contents List of Tables List of Figures 1. Introduction Undertaking a comparative evaluation Some terms and definitions Outline of the book 2. Education and Training in China Overview of the education system Primary schooling Junior secondary schooling Senior secondary schooling Higher Education Technical and Vocational Education and Training Conclusion 3. International Comparisons of TVET Aims of international comparisons Strategies for making international comparisons Brief history of international indicators TVET-specific comparisons Occasional or periodic comparisons with other countries Conclusion 4. A Review of Current Practice in China Types of research Types of comparisons Published articles on indicators Examples of case-study comparisons with other countries Conclusion 5. Framework for Comparing China’s TVET System Requirements for making international comparisons The International Standard Classification for Education The Application of ISCED to Chinese education TVET policy priorities in China Selection of indicators Data Sources * Countries selected for comparison Conclusion 6. Comparisons of Social and Economic Context Context comparisons using selected indicators 7. Resources Input indicators Comparisons using selected input indicators Additional possible input indicators Conclusion 8. Participation and Outcome Indicators Participation in Initial TVET Graduation Participation in continuing TVET Indicators that cannot yet be included Conclusion 9. Work-based Education and Training Considering TVET in the context of Yunnan Data collection survey on continuing vocational training inYunnan Analysis of data from the employee and employer questionnaires Applying the survey results from Yunnan to international comparisons Comparisons with the EU based on key quantitative CVT indicators Comparisons of CVT (work-based formal training) 10. Conclusion The performance of the Chinese TVET system On international comparisons and TVET data Final note References
