BEIJING: One of the biggest fears of many Chinese parents I interview is that their children will not perform well in high school and college entrance exams, and they will end up in a vocational institution.
In China, students generally attend regular high schools, vocational institutions and universities based on their scores in entrance exams, and those with lower scores can only attend vocational schools.
The deep-rooted stigma attached to vocational education is due to a number of factors. Many parents feel that a vocational degree equates to hard work for low pay, that these students have failed, and that they will not have bright futures by attending such schools.
Some parents have even called for vocational secondary schools to be scrapped, which has been ruled out by officials from the Ministry of Education.
The officials said vocational schools promote the diversified development of students, and play an important role in boosting employment, regional economic development, and improving people’s livelihoods. The stigma attached to vocational schools also means it is hard for them to attract the best and brightest students. However, after speaking to students from vocational schools and colleges, I realized that they are talented in their own ways and can also enjoy bright futures.
–The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
