Retrospect and prospect: Overview of 30 years of education system reform in China

Abstract

The reform of a country’s educational system is a concrete historical process in terms of its macro-societal changes in the context of its structuring of educational institutions. Such innovative changes to any given educational institution can be considered to be a rational decision reached by social participants; therefore, the issue of reform rationality, which often rests upon certain ethical values, is of central importance. Given this, any rational decision-making regarding social change can be ultimately presented as a choice of guiding values. Equity, justice, public rationality, and public interest are the chief values by which the current Chinese educational system is measured. These values reflect not only the leading social zeitgeist but also the realistic needs and active pursuits of social participants. Therefore, they ought to serve as the basic principles for educational reform.