The Roles Of The Government, Schools And Education Agents In The Reform On Education System Under Market Conditions

Since the 90's of the last century, the transformation of public schools and the development of private schools, mainly middle schools and primary schools, indicate that China is reforming its basic education system under market conditions, which means some market-based tactics (such as selection, competition and price) and market factors (such as funds, labors, lands) have been gradually introduced into the education system. Some people tends to accept the fact that the education system is now adopting more commercial approaches, but it is still far from realistic to take it for granted that the modern schooling institution is run on commercial basis.The reform on the basic education system under market conditions brought about a series of problems worth in-depth discussion: the relationship between the public benefit and profitability in the education industry; the co-existence of public schools and private schools; the framework of modern schooling institution; the roles of, and relationship between, the Government, schools and education agents. This essay makes a theoretical study on the above-mentioned issues from realistic perspectives.Firstly, the reform on the basic education system under market conditions challenges the traditional understanding of the public benefit of education industry. Is the education industry operated for public benefit or private interests? Are private-owned schools managed for or not for profit? Should education services provided by the State or the market? Is it necessary to restrict profitability and enhance public benefit of private schools? If it is, how? Based on some economics-related theories and the previous researches, this essay makes a systematic analysis of the reality in the private education sector, and proposes to enhance public benefit through diversified forms and suggests possible tactics for restraining the profit-making nature of private education industry.Secondly, how to realize the co-existence of public schools and private schools in the education industry? How to understand the so-called 'co-existence'? How to equally develop these two drastically different schooling systems under the conditions of resource shortage. How to leverage their complementary strength through healthy competition? This essay applies the game theory and came to aconclusion: the development mode based on system evolution is better than quantity-based approaches for stimulating the development.Thirdly, this essay emphasize on the establishment of modem schooling institution, proposing a framework for education system reform by expounding on such issues as the connotation of modem schooling institution, the significance and vision of establishing s modem schooling institution, and the problems existing in the traditional education system and in the process of education system reform.Lastly, this essay elaborates on the roles of, and relationship between the Government, schools and education agencies in the process of setting up a modem schooling institution, which falls into three aspects. The first is about the positioning and restriction of public rights; the second is about the mechanism that could ensure social participation on an equal basis; the third is about the vitality and management of schooling entities.