NN37, May 2006
Special Theme on Education and Training out of Poverty? A Status Report
WHAT CAN AFRICA LEARN FROM CHINA IN HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT?
By He Wenping, Institute of West Asian and African Studies, Beijing
In recent decades, China?s human resource development has made great progress with the rapid economic development in general. Not only the increasing rate of primary & middle school enrollment, but also the improved quality and quantity of all levels of education, particularly the enlargement of scale and system reform of high education, have all shown that China has accumulated some successful experiences, and meantime lessons of course, in human resource development.In terms of experiences that Africa may learn from China, there are mainly five possible elements according to my understanding. First of all, the central government must pay great attention and take relevant preferential policy for stimulating educational development. Education is a special strategic industry which cannot develop well without the full support of government. For example, during the past decades, in order to popularize the nine-year-compulsory education especially in the rural areas, the Chinese government has not only invested hundreds of millions of RMB, but also linked the educational achievements with the general working check-up of local governments.
Secondly, economic development is the foundation and the precondition for educational development. Without the general GDP growth (China has maintained over 9% annual GDP growth rate in recent 20 years), the central government would hardly be able to raise the funds for improving teacher?s salary and teaching equipment and accelerating educational system reform.
Thirdly, abundant professionally talented people are another key element for human resource and economic development. At the early time of 1980s when China just adopted the opening-up and reform policy, Chinese leadership led by Mr. Deng Xiaoping made a bold decision of sending Chinese young students to study overseas. Over the past 25 years, there have been more than 700 thousand Chinese students studying abroad, over 1/3 of them have now come back and are serving as the backbone in various fields, especially in some high-tech and Internet industries. Of course, the booming home economy, sound investment environment and the government?s encouraging preferential policy are all alluring factors for those overseas talents.
Fourthly, education priority is the traditional family value for the majority of Chinese people. No matter how poor a family is, the parents always keep the last penny for the children?s education. They strongly believe that only education can change a person?s fate. This traditional value has been strengthened by a series of successful stories, the setting of ?teacher?s day? and increasing reputation of being a teacher, etc.
Finally, fundamentally and historically speaking, China?s human resource development has benefited greatly from a unified language, i.e. Pu Tong-hua which is called Mandarin by the outside world. Even though there are 56 nationalities and numerous dialects in China, Pu Tong-hua has been secured as the sole communicating language and has been used in all (including the provincial and autonomous regions) the TV, radio programs.
In short, China?s experiences in human resource development may have some reference role for some African countries. But any experiences coming from outside must suit African countries? own history, culture and other national conditions.