A few years ago, the British media were full of reports about the “boom years” of British education in China. Elite British schools had seized the commercial opportunity of opening campuses to cater for children of ex-pats and wealthy Chinese families, opening new branches rapidly.
However, all this may end as China introduces a new “patriotic” law to tighten regulations surrounding what children are taught in their schools to push national security and patriotism in the curriculum.
China has about 180,000 private education institutions, with more than 55.6 million enrolled students. 13% of students attend private institutions at the school and university levels. In practice, some schools have already been incorporating the requirement for patriotic education into their curriculums.
One teacher at a private international school in Beijing linked to a prestigious British institution said that almost the whole history department left after the school started teaching a Chinese curriculum rather than a global one two years ago.
The Homeland Party has a unique understanding of the Chinese government’s desire to instil patriotism and Chinese-centeredness in their “Foreign” schools. We maintain that it is beneficial for children to understand their country’s achievements comprehensively.
However, a lack of long-term solutions and vision from mainstream political parties has characterised the current political climate regarding China’s plan. In contrast, The Homeland Party proposes the government take action by reducing the number of student visas and access to our universities here. The proposed measure addresses the issue that such a policy could affect our institutions long term and would serve as a starting point towards a more comprehensive solution.
We acknowledge China’s position; however, communication between our nations has been met with some sensitivity in the past. We should strive to maintain a respectful dialogue while standing firm in our beliefs. Maintaining an amicable relationship with China is essential, but we should not compromise our values and interests. They shouldn’t expect it here if they don’t want Western-style education there.
