Education:
In 1949, at the time of Liberation, more than 80 per cent of China's population was illiterate. By 2008, this figure had dropped to 3.6 per cent, though female illiteracy is thought to be much higher than male, at around 12 per cent. Some critics also say China has low standards for defining literacy.
But education on the mainland has been transformed over the past 30 years, since Deng Xiaoping declared it as one of the four pillars to making China the greatest economic power in the world.
The biggest reforms kicked off in 1985, when Deng presided over the National Conference on Education. He set a goal of making education compulsory for nine years by the year 2000. He increased the education budget by 72 per cent. University intake has shot up nearly six-fold (from 1.8 million in 1998 to 6.08 million in 2008) thanks to the construction of new universities.
But China needs to strive for more balance. Education is still seen as a means to an end - economic prosperity - and, as such, is focused heavily on maths and sciences. Experts also point out that China remains weak in liberal studies that require questioning authoritative voices, and until this happens, the education system - and the future leaders it produces - will never be as well-rounded as those churned out by a more liberal education system.
Grade B
