Compulsory Educational Policies in Rural China since 1978: A Macro Perspective

Abstract

Since 1978 China has implemented a series of educational policies for shaping rural compulsory education in order to improve its quality and competitiveness. This short article takes a macro perspective to review the rural compulsory education policies in contemporary China. Specifically, the macro perspective concentrates on examining the historical urbanization process of basic education in rural areas and the four stages of compulsory educational development in these regions. The article suggests that China has made tremendous contributions on closing the rural and urban gaps in recent years, but challenges remain to be solved.