The diversified development of private schooling in basic education in China: A comparison between Shanghai, Guangdong, Wenzhou and Tianjin

The development of private schooling in China follows very different routes in different regions. Since the beginning of the 1990s, regional differences can be found in regions like Shanghai, Guangdong, Wenzhou and Tianjin, even these four places are commonly well-off regions in China. This paper aims at describing the diversity and analyzing the factors leading to such diversity. It suggests that different economic structure, demand for basic education, decentralization of education authority and local government policies towards private education are the major attributes that explain the phenomenon. Copyright © 2002 Hong Kong Teachers' Centre.