(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-11-29 07:22

If the criteria for recruiting staff is not changed, the education system will not be improved, says an article in Beijing News. The following is an excerpt:

According to a recent survey, there are already more than 100 certificates for various tests for college students in the country now. Quite a number of college students can gain three or four certificates on graduation. Many students plan their four-year college life with the target of gaining certificates.

Their passion for certificates - "useful in the job market" - has led to their lack of interest in the normal curriculum offered by universities, especially those concerning humanistic, society, and natural science subjects. They believe that these courses are not conducive to helping them with the necessary skills and therefore they are shunned.

Some students have even suggested to universities that teachers should lower their teaching of mathematics and physics because these courses would not be useful to them in the future.

Many universities have no time to attend to the all-around cultivation of students. They do not pay enough attention to civic education.

Two typical examples are English teaching and computer training. Universities encourage students to sit for various tests to get certificates in English and computer science: the more, the better. Some even scrap normal classes and turn them into business internship classes for their students before graduation.

This type of education may probably guarantee employment, but may not cultivate students for the future.

The reason for the certificate-centered college education derives from society's attitude toward employing staff. Employers do not treat every employee equally. What they care most is how many certificates they possess instead of whether they have sufficient quality.

The belief that a good graduate is a combination of diplomas and certificates is not only prejudicial, but it also has a direct impact on the education model of a university.

Educational reform must go hand in hand with the way in which we employ people. Or else it could result in educators blaming employers for using the wrong criteria in recruiting staff and employers criticizing educational institutes for not turning out eligible graduates.

(China Daily 11/29/2007 page10)