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Journal of the Research Society of Pakistan
Volume No. 56, Issue No. 1 (January – June, 2019)
Zhang Xuepei *
Yu Jinshan**
Zhang Tong***
Abstract
This paper aims to look at primary educational developments since 1947 to 2018
in China and Pakistan on a comparative basis. It primarily addresses the causes
of illiteracy in China and Pakistan after independence and tries to overcome the
gaps of earlier works. In Pakistan both the enrollment and the literacy rates have
remained below 60%. In China adult literacy rate was 96.36%, and China‘s
enrollment rate of pre-school and primary schools was 84% and 100%,
respectively.
1
We can see that the educational level of Pakistan has relatively
lagged much behind that of China. Being on good terms both countries can, and
should, learn from one another in the field of primary education and thereby help
to improve the future of their coming generations.
Keywords: China, Pakistan, primary education, development
Introduction
Pakistan and China have been cooperating in the China Pakistan Economic
Cooperation (CPEC) program under the aegis of the “One Belt and One Road”
(OBOR) initiative, which aims at promoting Pakistan’s social and economic
development in addition to helping to reduce the high costs of Chinese exports to
ME, Africa and Europe. However, a successful outcome for the CPEC would
require input and support of a professionally strong and highly qualified technical
talent from both the Pakistani and the Chinese sides. This would involve an all–
round complete talent training system at all levels. Given the great differences
between the educational systems of China and Pakistan, both sides need to learn
from each other and improve their technical training systems to meet the needs of
CPEC. In particular, China’s success in the universalization of primary education
and Pakistan’s outstanding performance in the higher education sector are not only
worth learning from each other but can also play a crucial role in providing
* Zhang Xuepei, Northeastern University at Qinhuangdao, China, He Bei Finance,
University, China, (Currently: Ph. D. Scholar, Department of History and Pakistan Studies,
University of the Punjab, Lahore).
** Yu Jinshan, Ph. D. Scholar, Department of History and Pakistan Studies, University of
the Punjab, Lahore.
*** Zhang Tong, Ph. D. Scholar, Department of History and Pakistan Studies, University of
the Punjab, Lahore.
A Comparative Study of Primary Education in China
and Pakistan-1947-2018
Journal of the Research Society of Pakistan – Vol. 56, No. 1, January-June, 2019
170
educational wisdom to other less-developed countries under the “One Belt and
One Road” initiative.
Pakistan is a country of approximately 210 million people.
2
Pakistan has one of the
world’s fastest growing populations and is the sixth most populous country in the
world. The constitution of Pakistan requires the state to provide free primary and
secondary education to all. Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan obligates
the state to provide free and compulsory quality education to children between the
ages of 5 and 16 years.
3
The total population of China in 2015, according to the
latest population data, was around 1.38 billion. The population density of China is
150 people per square kilometer and China’s gender ratio is 104.81 men for every
100 women.
4
In Pakistan the reality of educational development is very different from that
prescribed in the country’s constitution. The educational system in Pakistan is
generally divided into five levels: Primary (Grades 1 through 5), middle (Grades 6
through 8), high school (Grades 9 and 10, leading to the secondary school
certificate [SSC]), inter-mediate(Grades 11 and 12, Leading to a higher secondary
school certificate [HSSC], and university-level education (leading to Graduate,
Master’s and doctoral degrees). The government launched a nationwide initiative
via The National Education Policy (NEP) 1998-2010 with the aim of eradicating
illiteracy and providing the basic education system to all children. A new NEP
2009 was launched one year before the end of the previous NEP. By 2015, the
Ministry of Education had expected to achieve a 100% enrollment level among
children of primary school age and a literacy rate of 86% (2015) among students
aged over 10, but it failed to do so.
5
Two Aspects of Elementary Education in China
1) Regular government-run and private primary schools recruit children
aged between six and seven and implement universal primary compulsory
education. The duration of schooling is five to six years.
2) Special primary schools are open to adults, mainly teaching Chinese
language, two subjects of arithmetic; literacy class, the admission of
illiterate, semi-literate, to learn 1500 – 2000 words for literacy standards
is the basic requirement.
Secondary Education
1) Regular Middle School: It is divided into two stages, junior high, which
lasts for 3 years, followed by senior high of 2-3 years duration. The total
for both is 5-6 years.
2) Agricultural Middle Schools: Generally enroll junior high school
graduates who study for 2-3 years.
3) Vocational School or Vocational High School: These enroll junior high
and high school graduates and the study takes 3 years to complete.
4) Technical School: Generally enroll junior high school graduates with a
study period of 2 – 3 years.
5) Secondary Professional Schools: Enroll junior high school graduates who
study for 3 -4 years, while high school graduates study for only 2 years.
6
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This paper will take the past educational developments of China and Pakistan as
examples for comparative study. The study aims primarily at addressing the causes
of illiteracy in Pakistan in order to overcome weaknesses in the findings of
previous work in this area.
The paper will put forward the necessary analysis and appropriate measures,
which will be effective enough to bring about the necessary changes to improve
the performance of the education system, which PEFA in Pakistan will be
achieved in the shortest time along with the removal of illiteracy as it is in the
constitution and recent development goals of Pakistan.
Design of the Paper
In this context, the national education policy documents issued by the Government
of Pakistan were taken as the base reports, and the results of various studies and
evaluation reports carried out by the local and foreign agencies were examined to
suggest a more effective solution for illiteracy and improving the performance of
the public sector in the primary education system. This should help to throw some
light on the major causes of neglecting the public primary education system, and it
has not been debated seriously so far.
7
Existing Problems and Approaches
At the time of respective independence of both countries, literacy rate in China
and Pakistan was almost the same. At the time of the founding of new China on
October 1, 1949 the literacy rate was 20%. This number included those who only
knew a few hundred Chinese characters and these would be considered semi–
literate today.
8
At the time of independence from British colonial rule on August
14, 1947, 15% of the Pakistan population was considered literate while the
condition of women and people in backward areas was even worse.
According to the latest available statistics the Chinese enrollment rate of primary
schools in 2015 was 96.36%. Similarly, literacy rate had also remained stable at
93%. The Pakistan enrollment rate has, however, remained below 60%. Similarly,
the country’s literacy rate has also remained below 58%.
9
With the rapid development of China’s economy and the continuous improvement
of its international status, China has put forward the strategies of rejuvenating the
country through science and education, and strengthening the country by talented
people. Improvements in national income levels lead to greater education
consumption. However, owing to the only way to invest education in China, which
is mainly undertaken by the central and local governments, the education funds are
seriously insufficient, which restricts the development of education. In the mid–
1980s, the economist Li Yining concluded that when the per capita GDP reached
$800-1000, the proportion of public education expenditure in GDP must reach
4.07%-4.25%, so as to achieve the sound development of education and
economy.
10
In 1993, the outline of China’s Education Reform and Development
Issued by the State Council clearly stated: “Gradually increase the proportion of
the state‘s fiscal expenditure on education in the gross national product to 4% by
the end of this century.
11
This goal was finally achieved in 2012.
A Comparative Study of Primary Education in China and Pakistan-1947-2018
Journal of the Research Society of Pakistan – Vol. 56, No. 1, January-June, 2019
Chinese society has attached great importance to education since ancient times, so
what is China‘s actual investment in education? According to statistics, China’s
total investment in education is as high as about 4.25 trillion CNY, but due to the
large population, the per capita education funding is only about 3,100 CNY
although China’s investment in education is increasing every year. From 2012 to
2017, it was maintained at an average annual growth of about 7.9%, which shows
China’s determination to increase investment in education.
12
Attention to Primary Education
Every year, Pakistan government provides large sums to finance scholarship
programs and grants to higher learning institutions, while the control and
management of primary education is left to the local districts, provinces, and the
federal government. Due to scarcity of funds the number of public sector primary
schools is far less than the number required and can’t functioning well. Added to
that is the widespread corruption in the administration of public sector schools.
Higher education has received greater attention, while primary education has been
left relatively unattended. There is a Higher Education Commission (HEC) to plan
and execute policies for increasing the number of foreign qualified PhD. In
Pakistan where was no serious effort has been made to execute policies for
ensuring quality primary education. This is a case of misallocation of resources
and mostly the poor are the victims in this regard.
Due to lack of management and competence for proper running of public primary
school network, the quality of education and course curricula is poor. Students’
