550,000 additional vocational-school teachers by 2010

Since reorienting its economy to global markets, China has enjoyed more than 20 years of unparalleled economic dynamism. Thanks to annual growth rates in the region of eight to 10 %, it is now the third biggest nation in world trade. The days are long gone when China was just a producer of cheap T-shirts and plastic toys. Its principal exports today include machinery and electronics.

But the economic boom also presents social challenges. Living standards in China may have risen sharply since the late 1970s, but social inequality has also increased over the past decade. There is now a marked urban-rural divide. In 2004, official statistics showed that the average income in Chinese cities was around $ 1,140; in rural areas it was just $ 355. And within the cities, the gap is widening between affluent professionals and skilled workers on the one hand, and unskilled labourers or even unemployed people on the other hand.

Particularly badly off are the country's so-called “migrant workers” – farmers who seek jobs in the cities because they cannot make ends meet in the country. These uprooted people have practically no rights. In China, people are only entitled to social services at their official place of residence. For migrant workers, that is always the village they have left behind. In the city, they often work for a pittance without the protection of an employment contract. Many have only been to primary school.

There are no reliable figures on unemployment in China, as official statistics do not include, for example, workers laid off from ailing state-run companies. Since 1993, rationalisation of production processes has steadily reduced the need for unskilled labour. Even in agriculture, employment is falling. Basically, anyone looking for a new job needs to re-train. But training opportunities are in short supply – and many of the jobless are unaware of the value of training.

There are also rumblings of discontent about high local taxes, expropriation of land and property without adequate compensation or law-enforcement agencies evicting people from homes on behalf of property developers, flying in the face of established law. Migrant workers are demanding rights as well as homes and schools for their children. And there are frequent protests against dismissals, paltry compensation for job losses or wages never paid.

Increasingly unfair distribution of income is fuelling resentment, especially in rural areas. In the eyes of the government, social tension presents the biggest threat to the stability of the country. According to official sources, the number of collective public protests has risen ten-fold – from 8,700 in 1993 to 87,000 in 2005. The government relies on a certain amount of social stability, and repeatedly suppresses protests. Because of the mounting pressure of problems, however, it now takes a less repressive line in response to rallies.

“Harmonious society”

Instability would seriously hamper economic growth. That is why, in 2005, a strategy to build a “harmonious society” was devised. The Communist regime wants to secure power by ensuring a minimum level of satisfaction. But to achieve that, more people have to find work – so education and training are needed.

And the need is all the greater since, despite high unemployment, China is actually short of skilled labour – not least because product quality has risen, and manufacturing processes have become more sophisticated. According to Deputy Education Minister Wu Qidi, “the future social and economic development of our country will depend crucially on the effectiveness of vocational training and education”. Back in 2005, the government resolved to improve and expand the vocational-training sector.

Vocational and academic education are organised along parallel lines in China. After six years of primary schooling, students can attend either a vocational school or an ordinary secondary school. The lower secondary grades (7 to 9) are covered by skilled workers schools, the higher ones (10 to 12) by vocational high schools. Successful students can then either go into the general university system or enter advanced vocational education at colleges of vocational technology. Depending on availability of places, students can switch freely between the two branches at every stage. Recently, demand for vocational courses has been growing.

In 2005, a total of 750,000 teachers were employed at vocational schools in China. By 2010, the Education Ministry aims to boost that number by more than two-thirds – to 1.3 million – and to improve their qualifications at the same time. Vocational education in future will be geared more closely to industries’ needs. To prepare teachers accordingly, the Ministry is cooperating with InWEnt. In the last three years, 900 vocational-school teachers, 400 school principals and 100 civil servants received upgrade training in a jointly financed project focusing on teaching methods and curriculum development. These people will pass on their new knowledge to colleagues, competences are thus snowballing.

Recently, the Chinese Education Ministry and InWEnt agreed to extend their cooperation. The government hopes the programme will also help to get a grip on the country’s vast environmental problems. That can only be done with skilled staff. Unskilled workers neither understand the challenges, nor do they come up with innovative ideas. China is already in a severe environmental crisis. The country is plagued, among other things, by droughts, sandstorms and soil erosion.

In 2004, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences estimated that environmental damage is likely to reduce economic growth in real terms by two percentage points. But taking environmental factors into account is something China’s decision-makers still need to learn. Because foreign experts are too expensive for Chinese companies, the Education Ministry is banking on domestic capacities – and that also serves the goal of stable growth. After all, better qualifications lead to higher incomes, and higher incomes strengthen domestic demand. (cir)