🚀 go-pugleaf

James Huang makes worthwhile points about the Chinese economy and its
potential. One development that worries me is that China's post-secondary
system is now endangered by the country's growing prosperity.

I recently read a manuscript by a Canadian teacher who's worked in China
since the 1970s, and who's returned to places he's taught. He noted that
Chinese graduate programs are having to lower standards (and even, horrors,
admit women!) because otherwise they can't fill their places. Why work in
lousy conditions only to qualify for an academic or research job that pays
almost nothing, when jobs in the private sector can pay exceedingly well even
by North American standards?

As a onetime teacher in China, I worry a lot about such a development.
Without a large and successful professional population, China risks slipping
back into a semicolonial, maquiladora-style economy. If so, her best and
brightest will continue to emigrate in search of better prospects.


--
Crawford Kilian   Communications Department   Capilano College
North Vancouver BC Canada V7J 3H5
Usenet: Crawford_Kilian@mindlink.bc.ca
Internet: ckilian@first.etc.bc.ca