How does China’s central government TVET reform policy transfer into to local practices

• In Event: Poster session 2

Proposal

Reform Policy Background:
With world’s largest rural population, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council publish an annual “No.1 Central Document”, focusing on "three rural issues"-- agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, targeting on sustainable devevlopment goals of hunger, poverty, education, health, and well-being. More specifically, China’s current technical and vocational education training (TVET) system aims to benefit rural disadvantaged population by improving education and employment opportunities, which has seen success in transferring rural surplus labor, enhancing labor skills, and improving the physical and mental health of rural labor (Zhang and An, 2011). TVET education has experienced phases of rapid development, stagnated development and robust development in 30 years of reform, contributing to national economic and social advancement plans and goals (Jiang, 2011).

New Reform Policy Introduction:
In 2014, China initiated a new round of TVET reform of the largest scale around the world, hoping to transform people into skilled workforce power and build up learning society. Many researchers point out the deficiencies and shortcomings of previous rounds of TVET reform, criticizing the inconsistency and differences between government ideals with popular opinions, between official stipulations with local culture, between central government requirements with local government priorities, and between urban and rural ideologies (Wu, et al, 201). Scholars contribute to the discussion by arguing for emphasizing on the market demand side and reforming the supply side of TVET education (Niu, et al, 2017).

In order to acquire best practices and deepen reform, Ministry of Education partners and cooperates with international organizations and counterparts, especially Germany and Australia, and sets a new strategic theme: entrepreneurship and innovation. Innovation is seen out throughout the system: from principal selection and sourcing to teacher “dual position” requirements, to student “dual system” modern apprenticeship, and to the enterprise-education partnership.

Methodology:
Four years have passed since the reform, to better evaluate the TVET reform policy and the changes it has brought to the TVET system, a policy study can contribute to the understanding of both process and result. TVET Institutions within Hunan province are chosen, as Hunan is a major agricultural province in China. Principals provide quantitative and qualitative data in teacher training, student preparation, and quality control, which are compared against the 21st Century Competency Goals and World Bank’s SABER education evaluation framework. To understand how reform plans were formulated at the central and local level, in-depth interviews are conducted with key policymakers from Adult and Rural Education Committee in the Ministry of Education and from Degree Committee in Department of Education of Hunan Province.

Implications and Further Questions:
Preliminary findings suggest that innovative education practices from other countries can be localized and implemented to enhance student capacities, skills, and employability. Developing countries and regions worldwide seek options to enhance food security and education, and China’s continuous efforts in TVET reform can serve as comparative references data for similar challenges. At CIES, it would be wonderful to hear insights, feedbacks, and suggestions from researchers and practitioners in the same field.

Authors

• Jo Lizhou Wang, Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Josiah Chan, Harvard School of Education

• Charlotte Evans, Harvard School of Education