China's State Council has proposed to transition some colleges and universities into vocational schools in order to better prepare graduates for the workforce
As some of China’s colleges and universities fail to turn out qualified job candidates, the State is pacing up developing vocational colleges that focus on practical skills. This is a good chance for colleges struggling with attracting good students and teachers, read an editorial in The Beijing News.
By 2022, China aims to bring teaching conditions in vocational colleges up to standard, transition a number of academic colleges to vocational undergraduate colleges, and instate admission exams independent of the national college entrance exam (gaokao), media reported, citing a plan announced by the State Council (China’s cabinet).
The proposed plan targets long-standing issues in China’s academic and vocational education systems, the editorial read.
Experts have long criticized China’s college education system for failing to prepare graduates for the workplace in part because the State allocates more funding and resources to key universities, marginalizing many smaller colleges, the newspaper said.
Becoming a vocational college can help tap the potential of teaching staff with new career development tracks and better pay. Such undergraduate colleges “are eligible for remuneration in patents, education and personal service from commercial cooperation,” the plan read.