--- SEARCH ---
WEATHER
CHINA
INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS
CULTURE
GOVERNMENT
SCI-TECH
ENVIRONMENT
LIFE
PEOPLE
TRAVEL
WEEKLY REVIEW
Learning Chinese
Learn to Cook Chinese Dishes
Exchange Rates
Hotel Service


Hot Links
China Development Gateway
Chinese Embassies

Girls' Schools have Had a Testing Time in China
Girls' schools have quite a long history in China, existing around the country for at least 150 years.

In 1844, a clergyman set up China's first girl school in Ningbo of Zhejiang Province. Most early girl schools were supported by churches, with the primary aim of educating new church staff. Religion and foreign languages were the main courses, although the syllabus also stretched to maths, science, biology and physiology.

In 1898, the first girls' school managed by Chinese was founded with the aim of training good wives and mothers, but it was closed by the Qing Dynasty Government after two years.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, girls' schools have obtained legal status. Several girls' schools opened in rapid succession.

The period from 1930 to 1950 was a flourishing era for girls' schools. The predecessors of the Shanghai No. 3 Girls High School -- St. Mary's Hall and McTyeire School -- were famous at that time. Madam Soong Chingling and her sisters Ailing and Meiling were students at this school.

Hundreds of all-girl schools were closed or transformed into co-educational schools with both boy and girl students during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76), since they were thought to serve the "aristocracy" instead of the workers.

In 1981, Shanghai No. 3 Girls' High School took the lead in returning to single-sex education.

According to the latest statistics, there are currently 15 all-girls middle schools around the country.

(Shanghai Star March 6, 2003)

Cradle of Elite Women
Girls' Schools Return to Beijing
All-Girl School Popular in Beijing
Print This Page
|
Email This Page
About Us SiteMap Feedback
Copyright © China Internet Information Center. All Rights Reserved
E-mail: webmaster@china.org.cn Tel: 86-10-68326688