Equalising schooling, unequalising private supplementary tutoring: access and tracking through shadow education in China

Abstract

The global expansion of mass schooling has greatly increased opportunities for low-income families, and governments have devoted much effort to equalising access and quality in education systems. Alongside regular schooling, the so-called shadow education system of private supplementary tutoring has grown rapidly across the world. The fact that rich families can purchase more and better quality shadow education undermines the achievements of increased equality of opportunities in formal schooling. Drawing on a mixed-methods study in Shanghai, China, the article shows how shadow education has offset school equalisation policies through differentiation of access and through sorting mechanisms. Shadow education occupies a space beyond strict government control in which privileged families and elite schools ignore and mediate the equalisation policies, seeking competitive advantages. Uneven access to shadow education and tracking within it shape, maintain and exacerbate inequitable schooling experiences at individual and institutional levels.

Shadow education in the context of early tracking: between-track differences in the Czech Republic

“…This paper studies the phenomenon of shadow education in the context of an early tracked education system and explores the relationships between shadow education and between-school tracking, thus bringing these two relatively separate bodies of research together. As far as the author is aware, although one study (Zhang and Bray 2018) discussed shadow education in relation to tracking, it focused on within-school tracking, or ability grouping, rather than between-school tracking, especially in its early form. In Europe, early tracking is practised in the education systems of Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary or the Czech Republic (EURYDICE 2020).…”

Ortaöğretim Öğrencilerinin Özel Ders Öğretmen Tercihlerini Etkileyen Faktörler

“…The system, which has become a worldwide phenomenon, is a growing phenomenon in Japan, Korea, Singapore, China, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the USA, and many developed and developing countries. The main reasons why the tutoring system is so widespread can be listed as follows (Bray, 2007;Bray & Kwo, 2014;Bray & Lykins, 2012;Pallegedara & Mottaleb, 2018;Tan, 2017;Tsiplakides, 2018;Zhang & Bray, 2018):…”

“…Dünya genelinde bir fenomen haline gelen sistem Japonya, Kore, Singapur, Çin, Hindistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladeş, ABD ve pek çok gelişmiş ve gelişmekte olan ülkede büyüyen bir olgudur. Özel ders sisteminin bu kadar yaygın olmasının belli başlı nedenleri şöyle sıralanabilir (Bray, 2007;Bray & Kwo, 2014;Bray & Lykins, 2012;Pallegedara & Mottaleb, 2018;Tan, 2017;Tsiplakides, 2018;Zhang & Bray, 2018):…”

A changing environment of urban education: historical and spatial analysis of private supplementary tutoring in China

“… 43. Zhang, Wei and Mark Bray (2018), “Equalising schooling, unequalising private supplementary tutoring: access and tracking through shadow education in Shanghai, China”, Oxford Review of Education Vol 44, No 2, pages 221–238. …”