Written by: Theodore Abara
Visual by: Mariah Reyes
This article aims to compare the education policies of different types of governments throughout history, and examine the effects they have had on education in the present. This will focus predominantly on China and the USA.
In 1949, when the communists came to power in China, the government had a tight grip on the education system. Their education system had two main objectives: developing the primary education system by increasing literacy levels, and changing the attitudes of the people through ideological indoctrination. Despite the struggling economy and their focus on developing primary education, state-funded higher education systems were developed focusing especially on science and technology. Higher education was offered free of charge to students with excellent academic performance. The education system in China was highly centralized, meaning that the government had authority over its policies, curriculum and financing. Two issues arose due to this system: educational resources were not distributed evenly, since the government focused on urban areas and technology-related courses, and it didn’t provide educational institutions an incentive to improve education.
However, Mao’s death led to massive changes in the education system. Economic reform and modernization became the primary goal of the government, in contrast to the ideological-political focus of Mao. The policy makers recognized the important role of education in achieving their goal of economic advancement, and emphasis was placed on “the four modernizations:” industry, agriculture, national defense, and STEM. Decentralization led to the marketization of education, making it a commodity rather than a public service. These changes brought about positive developments in the education system.
The first schools in the US were created in the 17th century during the settlement of the Puritans. Education was primarily focused on family, religion and community, rather than academics. School was only for the children of wealthy families. The idea of civic education only came about when Benjamin Rush suggested the creation of public schools in Pennsylvania and a national system of education, claiming that education would reduce crime rates. People were generally against this idea, since they would have to pay higher taxes in order to fund public schools. Despite this, reformers set up non-sectarian “common” schools, which were funded by local and state governments. By 1918, two-thirds of all children were enrolled in public schools. During the early 20th century, reforms were focused on expanding secondary schools, leading to a significant increase in the number of children enrolled in school. Several policies such as the No Child Left Behind (2001), Race to the Top (2009) and Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) have been passed, relatively recently, in order to improve learning.
Although the centralized system under the Maoist government held back the development of education, economic reforms by policymakers in 1976 following Mao’s death led to rapid developments in the education system, making it more competitive and accessible to many. US reformers who recognized the benefits of national education also faced several hurdles in developing a government-funded education system for the masses to replace sectarian schools, which were usually exclusive to the wealthy. Several acts have been passed since then which have led to further advancements in education.
Works Cited:
“Education under Communism.” Britannica, www.britannica.com/topic/education/Education-under-communism.
Ngok, Kinglun. Chinese Education Policy in the Context of Decentralization and Marketization: Evolution and Implications . files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ768972.pdf.
“Education Policy Issues in 2020 and Beyond.” American University, soeonline.american.edu/blog/education-policy-issues#:~:text=An%20example%20of%20US%20education%20policy%20that%20immediately,free%20or%20reduced-cost%20lunches%20to%20school%20children%20daily.
“Education Policy in the United States.” Ballotpedia, ballotpedia.org/Education_policy_in_the_United_States.
“16.1 A Brief History of Education in the United States.” Sociology, University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing Edition, 2016. This Edition Adapted from a Work Originally Produced in 2010 by a Publisher Who Has Requested That It Not Receive Attribution., 8 Apr. 2016, open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/16-1-a-brief-history-of-education-in-the-united-states/.
“The American Education System: An Overview.” TransferWise, 1 Jan. 1970, transferwise.com/us/blog/american-education-overview.
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