33 China Education Facts (the best school in China facts)

The Best Facts About School in China

China is a country located in eastern Asia. It is the most populated country in the world, and its capital city is Beijing, which has 21,450,000 inhabitants.

An interesting part of the country that I wanted to tackle is its education. In light of that, I have listed my 33 best facts about the education system of China, and I hope you will love them:

1. The Chinese education system is reputed to be one of the best in the world

Very simply, if you look at the recent international tests, you will immediately realize how incredible Chinese students are.

More specifically, Shanghai was ranked number one in the world in all three categories: science, reading and math. There are controversies about these results but China definitely has unbelievable results.

2. 99.4 percent of youngsters are literate in China

Between the age of 15 and 24, 99.4 percent are literate.

This is very impressive if you compare it to many western countries, because of how complex the Chinese “alphabet” is: in rural areas, literate youngsters can recognize over 1,500 characters, and in urban areas, this number goes up to more than 2,000.

3. Chinese parents are more involved than schools when it comes to education

Believe it or not, Chinese parents are even more involved than schools concerning their child’s education.

According to the research, the majority of parents spend more than 14 percent of their income on their child’s education. This is especially true during the early years of school.

4. The vast majority of Shanghai’s secondary school students attend after-school tutoring

Shanghai is probably the city in China where education is pushed to its limits.

More than 80 percent of high school students there attend after-school tutoring. Many other of them also spend around three to four hours on homework while being closely monitored by a parent.

5. Not all Chinese parents are monsters when it comes to education

Many people consider Chinese parents to be literal torturers, forcing kids to have absolute perfect results for every single school test. That is obviously not the case, but something is certain: they are intensely devoted to the education of their kid.

6. Chinese parents feel forced to send their child to after-school classes

Unfortunately, the reputation Chinese parents built for themselves to be extremely strict when it comes to their child’s education is because they feel forced to do so. Competition is so intense that there is a general anxiety over getting places at the top schools in the country.

7. Only a quarter of Chinese parents think the extra tutoring is necessary

While there is more than 40 percent of Chinese parents who actually think they have no choice but to force their kid to take extra tutoring, only 25 percent of them believe it is actually necessary. When it comes to education, many parents follow others blindly.

8. Chinese kids spend on average less than two hours playing outside on weekends

With how incredibly intense, anxious, and competitive the educational atmosphere is in China, this will unfortunately not come as a surprise.

On average, Chinese children only spend less than two hours playing outside on weekends, as not only schools but also parents put pressure on them.

9. Chinese kids spend an average of 88 minutes on homework on school days

Chinese kids’ weeks are extremely intense. After coming home from either school or extra-tutoring, they spend on average almost an hour and a half on homework, every day. Weekends are even more intense though, considering how little time they can rest.

10. Chinese school is mandatory for nine years

In China, students need to complete at least middle school. This law dates back to July 1986 and applies to every citizen.

In many other countries, school is mandatory for ten years, and even though this number is higher in China, the enrollment rate is higher.

11. Chinese children join pre-school when they are 3 years old usually

As you may have guessed, Chinese education starts very early and is immediately quite intense.

Kids usually begin pre-school at the age of 3, before elementary school when they turn 6. There, they learn about basic academic skills and probably already know more than other countries’ pupils.

12. Even teachers need to be very qualified to be able to work in China

Teachers willing to work in China need to be very qualified. The sheer pressure of having fantastic results in anxiety, even for grownups. Both Hong Kong and Singapore recruit teachers from the top 30 percent of the graduate school cohort.

In comparison, the US recruits them from the bottom 30 percent.

13. Chinese students are not allowed to use calculators in school

Have you ever wondered why so many Chinese kids are math geniuses?

This has in fact nothing to do with a special gift, they simply never use a calculator and have to think about everything themselves, quickly becoming math geniuses.

14. There are entrance exams at every level in China

No matter their age, when students need to go from one school to another, they have to pass an entrance exam. This is the case for enrolling in middle school, then high school, and then college. This is a way for the Chinese school system to make sure pupils never stop learning.

15. Students are admitted into schools depending on two specific factors

Entrance tests are definitely an important part of where Chinese students are enrolled. They are very important to determine if they can enter a top school or not, which is the major concern of many families.

However, the family’s connections are also very important, unfortunately.

16. Failing to enroll in a top school in China leaves the student’s future very uncertain

The reason why so many parents are worried about their child not entering a top school in China is that failing to do so is quite risky. Outside of top schools, because of the insane amount of competition, possible jobs will be very different.

17. Chinese school days are around 8.6 hours long

The majority of Chinese school days last from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM, which is quite intense if you add the extra tutoring on top of that.

In some districts, schools are even longer, sometimes more than 9 hours, but almost all schools teach for at least 8 hours.

18. Outside of one-on-one sessions, there are also Saturday classes in school

Not all students choose to take one-on-one sessions to become better at school, and schools themselves know it. This is why they offer Saturday classes in many cases, and they are mostly about math or science. Some children even take both of these!

19. The Chinese curriculum is definitely the hardest one in the world

The Chinese curriculum is very, very intense and rigorous. In fact, it is the most rigorous one in the world.

In middle school, children are required to study Chinese, English, physics, chemistry, and math. These are the five core subjects for the statewide Middle School Entrance Exam.

20. Many Chinese schools have no central heating

In many Chinese schools, there is no central heating! It only exists in the northern part of the country, which means that students attending other schools have no choice but to leave their coats on during winters. Especially when you consider the harsh temperatures in Chinese winter.

21. There are school uniforms in China

All school uniforms in China look-alike: they are sports suits alongside broad pants and a jacket. Obviously, every student has to wear them, and the only difference that you could see is the school emblems as well as possible other colors.

And that is it for the best 21 interesting facts about the education system in China…. Wait, did I say 21? Oh yes, because there are 12 more of them, coming right up:

More School in China Facts

There are so many things to say about China school system that I just could not stop after only 21 facts.

Here, have 12 more education in China facts:

22. Chinese school days start with a warm-up

Schools in China practice warm-ups every single day. During these, kids also learn about the main news of the day and see either the school or state flag raised. There is also an afternoon exercise on top of the morning one.

23. Lunch break in China is quite long and everyone eats well

Finally a bit of rest for Chinese students: lunch break takes a whole hour. Children and teachers eat at the canteen or receive special lunch boxes. Meals are very hearty and are made of meat, vegetables, rice, and soup. Also, meals are free for teachers.

24. Some students need to sleep in China, and there is sometimes a nap break

Because of how intense life is for Chinese pupils, they are often very tired.

Some elementary schools decided to add a nap time of a few minutes after the lunch break to help children rest a bit. Unfortunately, some of them still fall asleep right in the middle of a lesson.

25. Students treat their teachers with a lot of respect

You will never hear of a student attacking their teacher in China, or even lacking respect towards adults.

Chinese teachers are always called by their last name, with the “Teacher” prefix on top of that. In some schools, students even bow when they meet their new teacher.

26. Poor or naughty children often go to kung fu schools

If you have ever seen children in kung fu schools, you might have not realized where they came from. Actually, children who do not want to study, or are too naughty (according to their parents) are often kicked out of elementary schools and learn kung fu.

27. Chinese students often just learn without thinking

Unfortunately, in many cases, teachers demand automatic and exact reproduction of what the children just heard or saw. They don’t really care whether pupils actually understand what they are saying or not. These schools are based on verbatim learning.

28. There are alternative schools slowly rising in China

While these new schools will probably take a while before actually becoming popular, they are surely starting to get known.

These schools are based on the Montessori or Waldorf methods, meaning they make sure to develop the artistic abilities of kids. They are of course private though, and quite expensive.

29. Chinese schools are either public or private

Just like in many countries, Chinese schools are divided into two categories: public and private.

The level of education in private schools is much higher… but they can cost up to $1,000 per month! There, foreign languages are very important, especially English.

30. There is an academic ranking poster in every classroom in China

Talking about pressure in the Chinese educational system, students can constantly see an academic ranking poster in their classroom. Its goal is to give an incentive to study harder. This is yet another example of how huge the academic pressure is on a daily basis in China.

31. Chinese grades go from A to F

Unlike in the United States, Chinese students are graded with letters, which go from A to F.

A is of course the highest grade, and it is equivalent to 90 to 100 percent (US system). F is the worst since it is equivalent to 59 percent.

32. There is a student behavior ranking in China

Everything is under control in Chinese schools, even their students’ behavior.

Good behavior is encouraged via a star of a certain color as well as additional points. Students’ ranking is updated and displayed so that everyone can constantly see it.

33. Chinese students clean their school a lot

This is probably something all schools in the world should be inspired by.

Chinese pupils take care of the environment they are studying in. There are no janitors, which means students take a duty to swipe, mop, and wipe the whole building!

So there you have them, these were all my 33 China education system facts. I hope you enjoyed them and that you learned something new today.

In case you want to learn more facts about schools in China, feel free to keep reading, as I still have lots of things to tell you about:

Chinese School Hours

Let’s keep going with our next part, dedicated to Chinese school hours.

The typical school schedule in one country can often be very different from your own, and it’s always interesting to have more details on how students go on about their day.

China Primary School Schedule

There are three categories in Chinese education: basic, higher, and adult.

As I have already told you, students are required to attend school for a minimum of nine years. Primary school starts at the age of 6 and lasts for six years. Before that, there is preschool education, which usually lasts for 3 years.

Chinese school days are extremely long, from 8 to 9 hours, with a one-hour lunch break. Children attend school five days a week, from September to late June or early July.

China Secondary School Schedule

There are two routes in secondary education: academic and specialized/vocational/technical.

The academic route is made of junior and senior middle schools, and both of these last for three years. There are of course entrance exams at the end of each section of education.

Chinese High School Schedule

Chinese high school is included in secondary education. When students graduate from senior middle schools, they have to take the National Higher Education Entrance Exam (the famous GaoKao) and go to university. 9.2 million students took this exam in June 2015.

General Facts About Schooling in China

This last part is dedicated to general facts and statistics about schooling in China. More specifically, we’ll check 2 key figures that will give you a better understanding of the education level in China.

Enrollment in tertiary education for China: 30.16%

(Average for regions: Sub-Saharan Africa: 8.6% | South Asia: 20.8% | Arab States: 36.4% | East Asia: 36.5% | Latin America: 43.3% | Europe and Central Asia: 62% | North America: 84%)

Data from World Bank EdStats/UNESCO

China literacy rate: 96%

(Average for regions: Sub-Saharan Africa: 65.3% | South Asia: 72.9% | Arab States: 79.4% | Latin America: 93.7% | East Asia: 95.8% | Europe and Central Asia: 98.5%)

Data from World Bank EdStats/UNESCO

More Education Facts!

Do you want even more education facts about other countries?

Check out these facts:

• Education in Japan
• Education in South Korea
• Education in North Korea

Or click here to see ALL the education facts up on the blog!

The Full List of 33 Chinese School Facts

1. China’s education system is reputed to be one of the best in the world
2. 99.4 percent of youngsters are literate in China
3. Chinese parents are more involved than schools when it comes to education
4. The vast majority of Shanghai’s secondary school students attend after-school tutoring
5. Not all Chinese parents are monsters when it comes to education
6. Chinese parents feel forced to send their child to after-school classes
7. Only a quarter of Chinese parents think the extra tutoring is necessary
8. Chinese kids spend on average less than two hours playing outside on weekends
9. Chinese kids spend an average of 88 minutes on homework on school days
10. Chinese school is mandatory for nine years
11. Chinese children join pre-school when they are 3 years old usually
12. Even teachers need to be very qualified to be able to work in China
13. Chinese students are not allowed to use calculators in school
14. There are entrance exams at every level in China
15. Students are admitted into schools depending on two specific factors
16. Failing to enroll in a top school in China leaves the student’s future very uncertain
17. Chinese school days are around 8.6 hours long
18. Outside of one-on-one sessions, there are also Saturday classes in school
19. The Chinese curriculum is definitely the hardest one in the world
20. Many Chinese schools have no central heating
21. There are school uniforms in China
22. Chinese school days start with a warm-up
23. Lunch break in China is quite long and everyone eats well
24. Some students need to sleep in China, and there is sometimes a nap break
25. Students treat their teachers with a lot of respect
26. Poor or naughty children often go to kung fu schools
27. Chinese students often just learn without thinking
28. There are alternative schools slowly rising in China
29. Chinese schools are either public or private
30. There is an academic ranking poster in every classroom in China
31. Chinese grades go from A to F
32. There is a student behavior ranking in China
33. Chinese students clean their school a lot

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