1. Perspective on Rural Areas in China
Balancing between economic growth and Quality Education
Perspective on Rural Areas in China

2. Hanns Seidel Foundation in China
HSF is a German funded organization operating in 63 countries
In 1975 Mao Zedong and later Bavarian Prime Minister Franz-Josef Strauß conclude areas of cooperation
Better living conditions through Development of Rural Areas
Integration of the people to decision making processes (People to People Dialogue)
Vocational Education and Training in order to create “fair jobs” and help mitigate poverty
= Education for Sustainable Development since 2015

3. Overview
Problems facing rural areas: The Hukou System and Left behind Children
Education in Rural Areas
Teacher trainings in ESD: Empowering teachers to think holistically

4. The hukou System
In China, social welfare benefits – including schooling – are tied to the household register
A Chinese citizen is only entitled to welfare benefits of the place of his or hers hukou registration
It is extremely difficult to change a hukou registration
Schooling is only free of charge withing the jurisdiction of one‘s hukou

5. Left-Behind Children
There are more than 58 mill. left-behind children in China.
This means, almost one in four children grows up separated from one or both parents
¼ of Children in urban areas have a rural hukou

6. Malnutrition and Anemia Family-related problems
Education in Rural Areas I
Malnutrition and Anemia
Still 20 milllion children aged 6-15
Affects intellectual development and studies
Hampers development of cognitive and motor skills
Teachers
Often no pedagogical training of teachers (less qualified than in urban areas)
Major part of worktime spend on administrative work
Family-related problems
Lower value of girls influences enrollment-rate
Poverty (schooling fees)
Job opportunities in low-skilled sector
Family background
The lower the level of education of parents or grandparents, the less likely are children to pursue higher education
²Source:

7. Education in Rural Areas II
Facilities
Fewer available schools in rural areas, esp. junior and senior high schools
Not suitable equipped for children (esp. younger children)
Sanitary issues
Language
No senior high school education in national minority languages
No economic incentive for pursuing higher education

9. Approach of the HSF in ESD teaching training: empowering teachers to think holistically
Standardized goals – 15 Modules for ESD
Problem
Analysis
General solution
How can pupils solve?
Action plan
Evaluation
35 hours workload for students
Divided between nine topics
Pedagogy and learning environment
Learning outcome: Interdisciplinary and question/problem oriented lessons that have to fit nationals curricula standards
Guidance by local and foreign experts
ESD is related to
Environment
Social ans
Economical
issues

10. Challenges for ESD training
Awareness building (survey in 2015)
50 % of head masters said they have no competences in ESD
36 % of teachers said that they do not contribute to environmental problems
45 % of schools do not implement ESD in class room teaching
23 % of teachers cooperate on ESD with non-school partners
12 % of pupils said they protect environment in their schools (28 % do this with their families)
How to implement problem and project based learning on ESD in core curriculas?
How to transfer results into less developed and rural areas? 1
Awareness building 3
Transfer of results 2
Implementation in curriculas

11. Next: Integrative Development of Rural Areas and ESD
¼ of Children in urban areas have a rural hukou