3.PeopleDontLearnAnythingToday.
Ithinkitsagreatshametheway
educationalstandardsaredecliningtoday.Imean,goodheavens,whenyouthinkofallthemillionsofpoundstheGovernmenthavespentoneducation-newschools,moreteachers,newequipment.Andyetstillyoufindpeoplewhocantreadproperly,cantevenwritetheirnamesanddontknowwhattwoandtwoarewithoutacalculator.Ithinkitsdownrightdisgraceful.IrememberwhenIwasyoungyouwenttoschooltolearn.Youdidasyouweretoldandrespectedyourteachers.
Nowadays.Huh,nowadaysyougetlong-hairedkidswhoarentinterestedinanything.Nowondertheydontlearnanything.Abitofdiscipline,thatswhattheyneed.Abitofdiscipline.
4.TraditionalSchoolsFaceChallenge
EveryTuesdayandFriday,6-year-oldHuangKangoestoaseveningclasstolearnhowtoplaythepiano.Heshowslittleinterestinthisextraclass,buthismotheriswillingtopay18yuanamonthforhistuition.Heisoneofthemanyonlychildrenwhoinrecentyearshavestartedattendingclassestolearntoplaymusicalinstruments,ortopaintorsing,eitheronholidaysorintheeveningsduringweek-days.
Suchclassesareusuallyrunbyindividuals.BetweenABCsandmusic,thegovernmentcanonlyaffordtheformer.MusicandpaintingareseenasluxuryitemsforChildren.
Butparentsareeagertohavethetalentsoftheironlychildrendeveloped.TheywanttheirchildrentolearnfarmorethantheChineseandarithmeticofferedbythepublicschools.
Thepeopleineducationandartisticcirclesarefillingthisgapbetweentheparentswishesandpublicschools.
Inthepast,after-schoolactivitycenterswereencouragedtoprovidefreeclassesindancing,playingtheviolinandChineseboxing.Butasmoreandmorepeoplebecomeinterestedandseektotakepart,teachersaremoredifficulttofind.
Soupgrewthepracticeforparentstoshowtheirgratitudetothevolunteerteachersbyofferingthemgifts,suchascigarettes,meatandfish,clothingandcouponsforcommoditiesinshortsupply.
Butthegiftsneverquitematcheduptotheworkinvolvedandsoteachersbegantochargefortheirservices.
Averyquickexpansionofthechargedservicefollowedwithclassesbeingstartedforadults.Theseclassesincludedhairdressingandcookingforwomen,calligraphyandqigongfortheelderlyandchildcareforparents.ManyyoungpeoplealsowenttoEnglishclassestoprepareforteststoqualifythemtogoabroad.
Therearenowclassesofvariouskindsinthebigcities.InGuangzhou,forexample,thethirdtrafficpeakhourisfrom9to10intheeveningwhenpeopleareleavingnightschools.
Thechargeforservicewasstartedbyindividuals,butnowmanyculturalinstituteshavealsoenteredthemarket.
Overthepasttwoyears,theyhavesetupcorrespondencecourses,invitedscholarstogivelecturesandevencompiledtext-books.
Itallmeansthatwhatwasonceapurelysocialservicehasturnedintoabusiness.CompetitionhasgrownwithorganizersofferingsuchattractionsastheshowingofnewfilmsandtheissuingofdiplomasapprovedbytheStatesEducationCommission.
Fortheinstitutes,theseactivitiesarecollectivemoonlighting.Theyoffertheusuallylow-paidteachersandscienceandtechnologyworkersthechanceofasecondpaypacket.
Studentsonthismarketbenefitmore.WomenfromAnhuiProvinceapplyingforbaby-sittingjobscanaskfor5yuanmoreiftheycanspeakputonghuabecauseparentsareconcernedthattheirchildrenwouldotherwisebeaffectedbylocaldialects.Theskilloftypingtoocanbringextraincome.
Thebenefitsthatbothteachersandstudentsgainfromthismarketshowjusthowhighlyknowledgeisevaluated.AtatimewhentheStatecannotinvestmoreineducation,suchaspontaneousmarketisnodoubtnecessarysupplement.