China-Australia College, Beijing
Joined in Beijing Educational Delegation To Go on a Tour of Investigation
of Australian Education
From July 8th to 19th, 2000, Mr. Wang
Zhize, President of Huijia Educational Institution, Chairman of the
Board of China-Australia College, Beijing, joined in Beijing Educational
Delegation headed by Mr. Xu Xi'an, Director of Beijing Education Commission,
to have a tour to investigate Australian Education.
Mr. Wang Zhize put the emphasis on the investigation of the development
of Australian primary and secondary Schools, and the conditions of private
education.
Australian primary and secondary school education has been in a high
level in its educational quality. Based on the student's personal need,
aptitude and interest, the schools offer considerate service for the
students. The curriculums for Australian schools are designed to develop
the student's intelligence, and enhance the student's ability in social
communication, literary appreciation and working practice. Students
are encouraged to participate in collective activities, with emphasis
paid on the training of the skills and flexibility of the students.
Most of the school are state-owned and not expensive compared to the
economic conditions of Australian citizens. About one fourth of the
schools are private ones and required paying tuition. Quite a lot of
private schools are established by religious institutions or private
businessmen, or of various forms relationships with them. Different
provinces, regions and private schools have their own educational systems.
All kinds of schools are under the supervision of the government to
ensure high standard of school education. Children at the age from 6
to 15 must go to school to receive education. The school educational
system is divided into the following stages:
Primary School (Grades1 - 6 or 7)
Junior middle school (Grades 7 or 8 - 10)
Senior middle school (Grades 11 - 12)
(Note: The high schools in Queensland, West Australia, the north
region and South Australia begin from Grade 8, and that of other provinces
begin from Grade 7.)
Upon graduation at the end of the 12th academic year, the students
have to undergo the general examination and assessment of the province
to get diplomas awarded by the government. All the Australian universities
recognize high school academic credentials.
When the students complete the 12th year of high school education
in Australia, they can choose to different ways to continue with their
studies, either go to study in higher institutions or receive a professional
training. There are opportunities for students to go to universities,
vocational technical college, commercial college or other kind of professional
training.
The curriculums in Australian schools are offered based on the integrated
national programs, which can be divided into eight main categories to
study, including English, mathematics, science, health and physical
education, technique and applied subjects, society and environmental
science, non-English language study, creative arts and human development.
The students can choose a series of subjects to study within the scope
of the eight categories. The subjects available for the students to
choose somewhat varied in different schools. While English is the compulsory
subject fir all schools.
The school provides flexible and varied subjects for high school
students to meet the different needs of the students, especially providing
preparatory courses for the overseas high school students, i. e. the
university preparatory course.
The preparatory course is a bridging course that connects the education
the overseas students received in their own country with that they are
going to receive in Australia. The preparatory course is designed to
help the students to acquire their needed knowledge and skills to adapt
to the studies and life in Australia as soon as possible. The university
can reserve a place in a corresponding specialty for the students studying
the preparatory course. The ways of teaching is similar to that of the
universities, which is composed of lectures in bigger class and discussion
in smaller groups. In general, the lessons are given on smaller class
to ensure that all the students can be put under enough attention.
The primary and secondary school teachers in Australia all have
had university education. They have not only qualifications and records
in education, but also experience in teaching practice. Moreover, the
high school teachers have the specific learning in particular subjects.
In addition, there are still specialized teachers in different aspects
to provide guidance for them in studying skills, selection in courses
and profession, and needed assistance in school life.
Through this comparatively all-round investigation of education in
Australia, we have widened our field of vision and extended our thinking
in running the college. In contrast to the present ways of Australian
education, with regard to China's education we can't help asking whether
it is possible to have joint-venture projects in running schools or
colleges with foreign investors. And at the same time enlarge the scope
of enrolling foreign students from former restriction to merely college
students to admitting both colleges and secondary schools. In this regard
it is advisable to take the following ideas into consideration.
1. It is suggested that we should break the restrictions to go abroad
to run an international education. With increasing the pace to join
the WTO, more and more westerners wish to understand China and have
a command of Chinese language and culture. Nevertheless, not all those
who wish to understand China have the opportunities to come to study
in China. Meanwhile, the number of overseas Chinese is increasing day
by day, and they hope that their descendants can learn and carry forward
Chinese traditional culture and language besides in addition to receive
western progressive education. In this connection, schools of China
should broaden their outlook and take this opportunity to explore a
new way to run school education in cooperation with foreign investors.
By doing this the benefits consist in: 1) spreading the Chinese language
and culture around the world; 2) expanding communications and cultural
exchanges with the foreign countries; 3) further pushing education forward
to industrialization and market orientation, expanding the source of
funds in education; 4) Learning from the western advanced experience
in education, teaching and management; 5) Facilitating to training Chinese
teachers.
2. Expanding the channels and scope in admitting foreign students
to schools: It is suggested that schools in China should attract and
encourage foreign students to study in China by means of offering International
Baccalaureate (IB) programs, and after their graduation they can enter
Chinese universities. For this purpose, universities in China should
recognize IB diploma and study results as the base to enter China's
colleges and universities.
Through admitting international students with IB diplomas, the Chinese
students will be able to have the opportunities to study in the same
school and classroom so that the Chinese and foreign students can live,
compete and learn from each other under friendly atmosphere of different
cultures. The practice of combining competition with cooperation for
students of different countries conforms to the trend of international
integration in the 21st century. In fact, Chinese students taking the
IB programs are also excellent students selected on rigorous requirements.
However, the current policy to admit students in Chinese universities
is only by the standard of the national college entrance examination.
There is no other way for IB students to choose except going abroad
to receive higher education. The is in fact a waste of talents.
There is no doubt that the universities in China will greatly promote
the quality of overseas students and increase financial income provided
that they admit overseas graduates with IB diplomas. Mr. Wang Zhize
has proposed that a symposium should be held to discuss whether it is
possible to develop IB program in Beijing and the problems to have cooperation
with part of the universities in Beijing. The purpose is to have a practical
experiment with collective wisdom for the development of China's education.
At present Beijing Huijia Private College is an authorized member
of the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). It has accumulated
two years of experience, and now the IB programs is proceeding smoothly.
What has been expounded above is Mr. Wang Zhize's acquisition and
understanding on the tour of investigation of Australian education,
and it is welcomed to give your valuable comments.
China-Australia College, Beijing
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