ABSTRACT
This chapter starts with a brief history of education, to be followed by a discussion of contemporary primary and secondary schools, higher education, the rural-urban divide, and education for ethnic minority groups in China. For most of China's history, education has been a conservative force, as Confucianism emphasized the diligent study of moral principles underlying the social order. Women and ethnic minorities began to gain greater access to more social and educational opportunities. The demand of the state for education as social control was met through the preparation of high-calibre leaders who were able to reconcile communist precepts with market economics. The legitimacy of an education system depends to a great extent on the promise of social mobility and a better future. The rapid expansion of higher education can make Chinese society more prosperous and stable but only if it aligns with changes in society and the economy.
