1. Introduction

　　China’s basic education includes nursery, primary and secondary schools.

　　China’s reform and opening up since 1978 has brought the basic education into a new period of development. In 1985, the central authorities adopted the decisions to reform the educational system and in 1986, it went on to promulgate the law on compulsory education. In 1999, the State Council mapped out an outlined program for the reform and development of the educational system, making clear the orientation of development and basic principles for developing basic education. In 1999, the State council approved a program of action for invigorating education in the 21st century. In July of the same year, the State council passed the decisions on bringing educational reform into depth, with the aim of improving the educational quality.

　　By the end of 1998, there were 181,400 nursery schools, with an enrolment of 24,030,300 students; 609,600 primary schools, with an enrolment of 139,538,000 students; 63,940 junior secondary schools, with an enrolment of 53,630,000 students; 13,900 senior secondary schools, with an enrolment of 9.38 million students; and 1,535 special education schools, with an enrolment of 358,400 students (including 225,500 students in special education classes attached to regular schools and in regular schools”.

　　2. Administration

　　Basic education services are principally provided by local governments under the guidance of the state. The State Education Commission is responsible for formulating rules, principles and policies and general development program and basic school systems. The state has set aside grants for poverty-stricken areas, areas inhabited by people of minority nationalities and teachers’ schools.

　　Provincial governments are responsible for the general affairs of basic education, including mapping out development programs and primary school teaching plans and organize the assessment of the result of compulsory education in their own areas. They also set aside grants for poor regions and areas inhabited by people of minority nationalities. They are responsible for provide subsidies to county-level finances that have difficulty in educational spending.

　　County (city, district) governments are responsible for specific matters relating to compulsory education, including managing educational funds, principals and teachers of primary and secondary schools and providing specific guidance to teaching at primary and secondary schools. Township governments are responsible for implementing the compulsory education program in their own areas.

　　The state encourages private sponsors to participate in the running and management of nursery, primary and secondary schools and advocates for establishment of partnership between nursery, primary and secondary schools and enterprises and businesses, communities or village committees in order to get support from people of all walks of life.

　　3. Nursery schools

　　Nursery schools are mainly in cities. Some offer three-year education services; some offer one year or two years of education. The nursery system varies. Some are full-time service; some offers half-day service; some offer food and lodging services; and some offer services on the hourly basis. But in the rural areas, they are mainly called pre-school infant classes. Besides, there are seasonal nursery schools. In the remote and poor areas, there are also activity centers for infants, play groups, mobile services and other irregular educational services. Nursery schools in China are run by the state, collectives and private persons. By the end of 1998, there were more than 180,000 nursery schools in the country, with an enrolment of more than 24 million children. More than 70% of the children enter nursery schools one year before primary school. Large and medium-sized cities have basically popularized pre-school education. In the remote poor areas, progress has also been made in pre-school education. In 1998, 39.95 of preschool students received education for three years before going on to regular primary schools in the 22 poor counties in 11 provinces in southwest and northwest China and 66.7% received one year preschool education.


　　The nursery schools are managed according to the state regulations on the management of nursery schools and work procedure for nurseries and other legal documents issued by the state.

　　Teachers have to acquire the prescribed qualifications and there is an assessment system for the performances of nursery teachers. There are children’s teachers schools, specialist secondary education for nursery teachers.