What are the advantages and disadvantages of elite education for the development of middle school students?

How to treat elite education in the era of popularization

Time: July 3, 2006 Source: None.

At present, China's higher education has entered the era of popular higher education. Universities are gradually shifting from the edge of society to the center of society, becoming an indispensable force for economic, technological and social development. In the era of popularization of higher education in China, how to treat and grasp elite education and how to get it out of the crisis are important issues facing higher education at present.

First of all, we should change the development strategy of higher education popularization. The popularization of higher education in foreign countries mainly takes the road of "extension development" and is realized by establishing non-traditional and non-university higher education institutions, while research universities still focus on elite education. For example, the popularization of American higher education mainly undertakes the task of popularization through the development of community colleges. However, Japan mainly relies on the development of short-term universities and colleges to realize the transformation from elite education to mass higher education. After entering the stage of popularization, Japan's short-term universities, junior colleges, specialized schools, radio and television universities, correspondence universities and night universities still undertake the main tasks of popular education.

In the early stage of popularization, China chose a development path different from that of western countries-focusing on "connotative development". At that time, the scale of college students in China was not large, and there were relatively many educational resources. In this context, it is understandable that schools "tap the potential" as an expedient measure to deal with the popularization of higher education. However, if today's colleges and universities still adopt the strategy of "connotative development", it will inevitably lead to a decline in the quality of education, especially the quality of elite education. China should learn from foreign experience and adopt the general plan of "extended development". It is necessary to position elite education for several universities. These schools should not recruit too many students, nor should they distract their attention from mass education such as adult education and higher vocational education. They should determine strategies around elite education, increase investment, consolidate achievements, promote and deepen reforms, and cultivate elite talents needed by the country and the nation. The task of popularization is mainly undertaken by higher vocational colleges and private schools, so that research universities can resume the role of elite education. In recent years, the number of higher vocational colleges and private colleges in China has increased rapidly, and at the same time, these schools have difficulties in enrolling students to varying degrees. If the government can give more policy support to these schools and guide students to flow to higher vocational colleges and private schools, it will not only reduce the pressure on elite educational institutions, but also promote the healthy development of higher vocational colleges and private higher education.

Secondly, the government should increase financial investment in elite education and reduce financial pressure. For a long time, the proportion of public education funds in GDP in China is low. Although the allocation of state funds for higher education has always been inclined to elite educational institutions, especially after the launch of the "985 Project", the investment in some high-level research universities has increased. For example, in addition to the annual allocation of daily education funds, Peking University and Tsinghua can also receive the national special allocation of 654.38+08 billion yuan within three years; The other seven universities that entered the "985 Project" in the first batch, in addition to the normal education funds, can receive special investment of about 654.38 billion yuan from the Ministry of Education and local governments in three years. But this only eased the shortage of funds in elite universities, and did not fundamentally change the shortage of funds. Therefore, many elite educational institutions still raise funds by holding adult education, online education, short-term training courses and private secondary colleges.

Third, some universities should attach importance to and promote elite education in certain fields. We have a group of universities with high academic level, profound cultural background and many well-known scholars. These universities have the level and conditions to carry out elite education, but they also undertake the task of serving local economic development and cultivating talents for local popular higher education. And their sources of funds are relatively tight. In this case, these high-level universities should focus on elite education while ensuring the quality of education and teaching. The focus of elite education is to cultivate students in an all-round way, so that they can get exercise in a suitable environment and lay the foundation for the elite who will step into society in the future. This includes the cultivation of elite consciousness, ideological and moral quality, honesty and legal consciousness, social responsibility and love, ability and knowledge. In the aspect of ability training, we should emphasize the cultivation of innovation ability and international communication ability, especially the cultivation of language and culture ability. In addition, we should also emphasize the cultivation of practical ability.

Third, colleges and universities should develop at different levels. In order to retain elite education, it is necessary to distinguish the functions of universities, that is, hierarchical and classified development. Only when different types of colleges and universities do their jobs, will there be no dislocation and offside. General local colleges and universities should base themselves on the needs of local economic and social development and focus on cultivating applied talents. The key to elite education lies in the word "essence". It is our responsibility to cultivate all kinds of social elites, not seeking the biggest, but seeking the strongest. Only in this way can we remain the same today when colleges and universities merge.

Finally, deepen the reform from the aspects of investment system, management and talent training mode, and establish the guarantee system of elite education. There are two key points in promoting elite education. One is to have teachers who can undertake the task of elite education, and the other is to have a guarantee system including investment and management. To run elite education well, we must reform various problems, and at the same time establish new mechanisms and new talent training models. For example, we should promote research-based learning, which closely combines scientific research with teaching and reforms the old teaching content and teaching mode. Promote the tutorial system and credit system for undergraduates, and reform the old professional enrollment and fixed academic system. Promote the performance allocation mechanism and reform the old per capita allocation system. Only by deepening the reform can we establish the training guarantee mechanism of elite education.

Elite education is an important event in the era of popularization of higher education in China. How to lay a good foundation for cultivating high-quality elite talents is an objective requirement for colleges and universities in the current domestic and international situation. Seriously deal with and deepen the reform, actively play the role of teachers and students as masters, further improve the quality of education and teaching, and run elite education in the era of popularization of higher education.