Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Twin sisters teach at same school in Shaanxi, NW China


Wang Xiaomei(L) and Deng Dong'e, a pair of twin sisters teaching at the same school, receive presents given by their students for the Teachers' Day, in Lueyang City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 9, 2009. The twin sisters became teachers at Guozhen Central Primary School in 2004. They keep different hair style so that students and colleagues would not confound them with each other.

1st scholarships awarded under China-PIF scholarship scheme

WELLINGTON, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The first scholarships under the China-Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Scholarship Scheme have been awarded to nine students from four Pacific island countries, the Suva-based PIF Secretariat said on Thursday.
The scholarship scheme between the China and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat is in addition to any bilateral scholarships between China and individual countries in the region. It is open to all Pacific Islands Forum members excluding Australia and New Zealand.
Of the first nine scholarships awarded under the Scheme, five are from Samoa, two from Fiji, one from Solomon Islands and one from Papua New Guinea. The scholarships cover fees and a living allowance as well as expenses for travel to China and within China.
The students will be studying a range of subjects in various universities and institutes in different parts of China, including international politics, urban planning, law, computer science and technology, international economics and trade, tourism management, information management, information system, accounting and bioengineering
They will be studying the Chinese language for the first year before they study in their specific areas of interest.
"These scholarships provide an excellent opportunity for young people from our region to gain first class qualifications in a range of disciplines as well as learning the language and culture of China, which will stand them in good stead on their return, said Tuiloma Neroni Slade, secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
The Forum Secretariat will be accepting applications early 2010 for the next lot of scholarships. http://study-china.info

China's compulsory education policy covers 160 mln students so far

BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China's nine-year compulsory education policy has made great achievements in recent years, covering more than 160 million primary and middle school students so far in both rural and urban areas, said Education Minister Zhou Ji at a news conference here Friday.
Last year, the enrollment percentage in about 300,900 primary schools and 57,900 middle schools across the country both reached 98 percent, Zhou said.
In past several years, the government also spent tens of billions of yuan to establish more than 8,000 boarding schools nationwide, rebuild dangerous buildings and improve living conditions in schools, he said.
China's nine-year compulsory education policy, which was launched in 1986, enables students over six years old nationwide to have free education at both primary and secondary schools.
Besides, Zhou also stressed the importance of shortening the gap between urban and rural areas in terms of teachers' quality issues, through means of improving rural teachers' economic and social status.
From January 1 this year, the government released a wage reform ensuring the payment of rural teachers should not be lower than that of local civil servants.
Further, the government issued many preferential policies to encourage teachers, college graduates as well as normal schools' students to go to the countryside to teach. So far this year, there are more than 200,000 college graduates who have done so.
As for the nation's vocational education development issue, which is considered as an important task for China's education development, Zhou said secondary vocational education will have free access this year, in order to greater promote its development.
The policy will be employed firstly in agriculture related majors and for poor students, Zhou said.
But he did not reveal the exact time for the policy to take effect.
He said secondary vocational school development scale is now equal to that of the high school, with students' enrollment number larger than the high school.
Last year the enrollment number in secondary vocational schools reached 8.1 million, and the number might be 8.6 million for this year, he said. http://study-china.info

China Exclusive: Chinglish, love it or hate it

BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- "I like your smile, but unlike you put your shoes on my face". A charming way of saying "Keep off the grass". But could you figure it out? Or this: "Wash Clothing Store" for laundry.
They are both typical Chinglish, a combination of English vocabulary and Chinese grammar. Expressions such as "people mountain people sea", means extremely crowded, and "give you some color to see", meaning a punishment, are widely known and recognized.
Chinglish has been attracting global attention in recent years as China grows rapidly in stature on the world stage, attracting both fans and detractors.
The Beijing Speaks Foreign Languages Programme and English First China Company, a language trainer known as EF Education, jointly launched a campaign to root out poor grammar and misused vocabulary in downtown Beijing on Tuesday. They argue Chinglish is an embarrassment that must be wiped out at all costs.
"EF Education is very happy to be able to help regulate English logos on the streets of Beijing", said Michael Lu, vice-president of EF Education. "And it is meaningful, to allow the capital show its most beautiful historical and cultural heritage to the world."
He said, since the launching of the campaign, foreign teachers and students had been very keen to volunteer participation.
Michael Lu said he believed signs were very important in public services. "The signs in some old buildings confused foreign visitors, such as "Cherish Environment".
Chinglish, although the target of much criticism, has also won supporters who regard it as an interesting way for foreigners to learn how Chinese people think and express themselves.
"Many Chinglish logos carry Chinese elements and they will enrich the English language," 32-year-old Oliver Radtke said.
The German multimedia producer has been focusing on written examples of the lingo on signboards, menu cards and shop fronts. He had even published a book "Chinglish: Found in Translation," on the subject. About 50,000 copies of the book have been sold since it was published in 2007.
His first encounter with Chinglish was in a cab in Shanghai back in 2000. He saw a curious note reading "Don't forget to carry your thing".
He is convinced that the notion of one single, standard version of English is outdated because "it now boasts more than one billion regular users worldwide, and the number of people speaking it as their second language is growing rapidly."
Radtke's opinion is echoed by other fans of Chinglish.
"Some Chinglish is simply wonderful and displays a poetic side that is far better than admonitory signs in my own country," said an English teacher in Beijing using only his first name Mal in Radtke's blog.
Some Chinese university experts also side with Chinglish. "English has absorbed elements from other languages such as Frenchand Spanish in its growth, and the emergence of Chinglish again testifies to the language's vitality and inclusiveness," said Shi Anbin, an associate professor with the journalism and communication school of Tsinghua University. Enditem
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China's higher vocational schools enroll more than 3 million students annually

BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- China currently has about 1,184 schools of higher vocational education, which enroll more than 3.1 millon students annually, Vice Minister of Education Lu Xin said here on Sunday.
More than 9 million students are studying in these schools, she said at a conference held to honor the outstanding teachers and headmasters of vocational schools.
The country's schools of secondary vocational education hit 14,000 in number, which enroll 8.1 million students annually, she said, adding the number might be 8.6 million for this year.
Minister of Education Zhou Ji said earlier on Friday that secondary vocational education will have free access this year, in order to greatly promote its development. The policy will be employed firstly in agriculture related majors and for poor students, Zhou said.
But he did not reveal the exact time for the policy to take effect. http://study-china.info

China designs language textbooks for foreign workers

BEIJING, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- China has published a set of textbooks on Chinese language study for foreigners who want to use Chinese in business but who have little time to attend regular courses.
The textbooks, titled "My Chinese Language", have been jointly compiled by Chinese and American experts for foreigners who work in China's international organizations and businesses.
Li Zhijun, president of book-publishing house People's Education Press, said the books were based on foreign employees' real life experiences and covered various scenarios such as greetings and introductions, office meetings, business talks, exams, job applications and private life among others. www.study-china.info
The textbooks consist of three tutorial volumes and nine exercise books to meet basic demands of foreign learners focusing on short-term language studies.
The books come amid strongly growing interest in Chinese culture as 339 Confucius Institutes and classes where Chinese language is taught have been established around the world.
The government's goal is to establish 500 institutes by 2010, said the Chinese Language Council International.
Statistics show, at the end of 2008, more than 40 million foreigners around the world were learning Chinese in 3,000 schoolsin 100 countries. www.study-china.info

China Education Alliance, Inc. Introduces Newly Developed Online Educational Game...

China Education Alliance, Inc. Introduces Newly Developed Online EducationalGame 'Fortune Island' HARBIN, China, Jan. 7 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- China EducationAlliance, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CEUA) ("China Education Alliance" or "theCompany"), a leading distributor of educational resources, offering high-quality programs and training both through online networks and an on-sitetraining center in China, today announced the introduction of a newlydeveloped online educational game "Fortune Island," which was a game platformfirst recommended by the "National Educational Game Research Base" by theMinistry of Education of China. The "National Educational Game Research Base" is the most authoritativeeducational strategic collaboration entity developed by the Ministry ofEducation of China, while "Fortune Island" is the only online game platformadopted and first recommended by the entity. The development of the gameplatform was lead by China Education Alliance, and it took the research teamincluding national education experts, psychology experts and technologypersonnel three years to develop. "'Fortune Island' is an online educational game platform that specificallytargets students between the ages of six to eighteen," said Mr. Yu, ChinaEducation Alliance's Chairman and CEO. "This platform allows users to control21 virtual characters to answer education-oriented questions and the eventualwinner can obtain a prize. This platform will help students to enrich theirknowledge base, stimulate their independent thinking and idea creation,enhancing students' emotional and intellectual capacities." As the only platform adopted and recommended by the "National EducationalGame Research Base," China Education Alliance sells a game point card, butoffers it free to purchasers of its learning debit card. The Company haslaunched this new educational game business in Heilongjiang province and willexpand this business in other provinces through sales agents. The Companydeveloped the teenage-oriented advertising resources, including hidden ads,background picture ads and corporate-customized ads. This platform diversifiesthe Company's product offering and the underlying advertising income isexpected to be a new contributor to total revenues, driven by growth in thenumber of game users. About China Education Alliance, Inc. The Company is an educational resource company offering high-qualityeducational programs and training through both online networks and an on-sitetraining center. The Company's products include online test preparationmaterials, researchers' materials, study guides, and audio recordings,vocational training services and vocational certifications. The Companyconducts educational services through three main channels: a large educationalonline portal, educational software and media, and education and vocationaltraining centers. The Company is currently selling educational products andservices to families, provincial education officials, administrators, schoolsand teachers in China. Safe Harbor Statement Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Actof 1995: Certain statements in this press release, constitute forward-lookingstatements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The PrivateSecurities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, withoutlimitation, statements regarding our ability to prepare the company forgrowth,the Company's planned expansion in 2008 and predictions and guidance relatingto the Company's future financial performance. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections aboutfuture events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financialcondition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs andare not a guarantee of future performance but they involve risks anduncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from thosein the forward-looking statements, which may include, but are not limited to,such factors as unanticipated changes in product demand especially in theeducation industry, pricing and demand trends for the Company's products,changes to government regulations, risk associated with operation of theCompany's new facilities, risk associated with large scale implementation ofthe company's business plan, the ability to attract new customers, ability toincrease its product's applications, cost of raw materials, downturns in theChinese economy, the adoption by consumers of its new game business, theunproven advertising model that is dependent on attracting a large game userbase, and other information detailed from time to time in the Company'sfilings and future filings with the United States Securities and ExchangeCommission. Investors are urged to consider these factors carefully inevaluating the forward-looking statements herein and are cautioned not toplace undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are qualifiedin their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statementsmade herein speak only as of the date of this press release, readers arecautioned not to place undue reliance on any of them and the Companyundertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform thestatement to actual results or changes in the company's expectations

Thursday, September 17, 2009

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China Education and Related Official Sources Ministry of Education China Education News (Xinhua News) China Education and Research Network (official site) China Universities and Colleges (Web List) Hong Kong Education Web Centre of Research on Education in China - A comprehensive guide to the studies of China education. Education in the People's Republic of China (Wikipedia) Rural China Education Foundation (information, blog, photos and Library) China Education Expo An American Law School in China. China Journal, WSL Blog Official News Links: 10 million sit China's college entrance exams amid cheating, flu concerns China vows severe penalties in college-admissions ID fraud case China to send more language teachers to southeast Asia Foreigners studying in China exceeds 200,000 in 2008 Official: China's language promotion plan half finished China Focus: Legal education at Tibetan monasteries bears fruits - Xinhua China launches satellite TV channel to train students, teachers and migrant workers - Xinhua More than 400 foreign schools to attend education expo in China - Xinhua Exotic China - A Huge Art Exam to Pursuit Art Dream