Enhancing China's Competitiveness Through Lifelong Learning ...

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xvi Preface Although the overall labor supply in China is still larger than the demand, there is an emerging issue around the structural undersupply of labor. Even though China has much lower tertiary enrollment rates than do high-income countries, many college graduates cannot find jobs because of a serious mismatch between school education and social and economic demand. Formal education falls short of the requirements of a lifelong learning system in terms of teaching methods, curriculum, and pedagogies, and needs to be adjusted to respond to the new demands of economic and social development. Nonformal education (vocational education and training) faces similar problems. Although there are numerous training programs and “certificate mills,” their fees and quality are not regulated; and a serious shortage exists of low-cost, highquality training options for rural laborers and laid-off workers. A large number of rural surplus laborers, laid-off urban dwellers, and other unemployed people are unable to secure employment or re-employment through existing training programs. In addition, learning facilities and methods are out of date, and modern information and communication technologies (ICTs) need to be further harnessed. International experience shows that ICTs can expand learning channels at lower cost and with greater convenience, thereby better addressing the requirements of lifelong learning. The government of China is developing satellite and broadbandbased distance learning to reduce education costs, improve learning efficiency, and provide learning opportunities for poor remote regions. China still has a long way to go in building a lifelong learning system and a learning society. The main problem is the serious shortage of investment in education and training. The government cannot bear all the costs of financing the system; and the shortage of resources has constrained the improvement in education level of the whole population. Another significant challenge in establishing a lifelong learning system is the lack of nationwide consensus on its importance and urgency. The goal of building a lifelong learning society can be achieved only if there is a concerted effort by all stakeholders, including the various levels of governments and education authorities. This will require a more conducive environment—an open system that will encourage individuals and society to invest in education and training. The role of government needs to shift from that of key decision maker and sole provider of education and training to that of system architect, rulemaker, and promoter. The barriers that inhibit private capital from entering the education and training fields need to be lowered, while at the same time strengthening education and training by implementing an effective system of standards, quality assurance, auditing, and accreditation. This means setting up a high-quality system of information on the changing education and skill needs of the economy and on the quality of different education and training providers. It also requires establishing appropriate mechanisms to finance education and training, including the development of an effective student loan market. Building a lifelong learning system is a cross-sectoral undertaking that entails integrated planning, coordination, and management. Currently, China lacks a unified and high-level authority to move the agenda forward. Relevant functions are dispersed among different ministries, such as education, labor, personnel, and agriculture.
Preface xvii The lack of unified planning and coordination means that education and training resources cannot be shared or integrated, and limited social resources cannot be fully utilized. It is imperative to establish a high-level leading body to coordinate and integrate resources and ensure the implementation of the lifelong learning system. The main functions of such a body would include coordinating the lifelong learning units of the various educational institutions, private enterprises, nongovernmental organizations, social organizations, and local communities to improve their interaction and cooperation so that resources can be better utilized; organizing lifelong learning awareness-raising campaigns; setting up learning certification centers to assess learning and training results and issue relevant certificates; and researching and formulating regulations and laws on lifelong learning so that the lifelong learning activities can be carried out in an orderly fashion and be protected by legislation. Given the many daunting challenges that China faces in leveraging its human resources, I believe the analysis, examples, and suggestions offered in this report provide a very useful framework and sound guidance for building an effective lifelong learning system for China in the 21st century. Jiange Li, Vice-Minister Development Research Center of the State Council, People’s Republic of China
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Instrument Description Main Variabl
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Tecnológico de Monterrey Virtual U
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References and Other Sources Adey,
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