Editor's Introduction

Abstract

The universalization of basic primary education-although difficult to achieve-has long been a noncontroversial goal of Chinese political and educational authorities. Likewise, the development and expansion of a high quality system of tertiary education-essential to train the specialized personnel for the modernization program-has been a top priority in post-Mao China. Consensus over the structure and mission of Chinese middle schools, however, has been much more difficult to achieve. Even very basic issues can generate contentious debate, with contrasting views often prominently featured in leading newspapers and journals concerned with educational policy. In this issue, we cover some familiar ground, examining several well-known "problem" areas, including the lack of quality in junior middle education, the search for the proper function of senior middle schools, the benefits and costs of key schools, and the excessive concern with promotion rate to the next level of schooling. In addition, we include two examples of the burgeoning social science literature coming out of China: a study of the development of the intelligence of male and female students at the junior high level, and a study of family influence on delinquency patterns among high school students.