We had a busy day today. We went to the equivalent of the United States Department of Education in Beijing, the Ministry of Education. We were given an overview of the Chinese education system. In the US, we tend to only hear the great things about the Chinese system, but the truth is that they have some significant problems they are facing too. In China, the best education is in the urban areas and the rural areas tend to have a poorer system. Ironically, 70% of the population is considered to be rural. Also, in China, only about 45% of all students graduate high school. The toughest job to find in China is one for a college graduate. Last year 70% of college graduates did not find employment in their major area. Another interesting figure is that 90% of the parents of single-child families expect their sons or daughters to obtain a PhD. Compulsory education is only required through grade 9.
After our Ministry visit, we headed off to Tiananmen Square. Walking in the square gave me goose bumps as I have read several first hand accounts of the events going on in the square in May and June of 1989. I was also a second year teacher during that time and I remember talking about the events to my class. I also remember the man with a book bag who stood down the military tanks on one of the streets. From there, we took a tour through the Forbidden City. The architecture in that palace is phenomenal. I had a hard time listening to the story of the palace as told by the guide because I kept trying to image the man-hours required to build such a place. Hopefully, my pictures can relay that awe. Finally, we headed to Bian Yi Fang restaurant for some Peking duck. As usual, the food was fabulous. I can’t believe I was afraid of the food. I can see a huge diet in my future.
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