3.PeopleDon’tLearnAnythingToday.

　　Ithinkit’sagreatshametheway

　　educationalstandardsaredecliningtoday.Imean,goodheavens,whenyouthinkofallthemillionsofpoundstheGovernmenthavespentoneducation-newschools,moreteachers,newequipment.Andyetstillyoufindpeoplewhocan’treadproperly,can’tevenwritetheirnamesanddon’tknowwhattwoandtwoarewithoutacalculator.Ithinkit’sdownrightdisgraceful.IrememberwhenIwasyoungyouwenttoschooltolearn.Youdidasyouweretoldandrespectedyourteachers.

　　Nowadays.Huh,nowadaysyougetlong-hairedkidswhoaren’tinterestedinanything.Nowondertheydon’tlearnanything.Abitofdiscipline,that’swhattheyneed.Abitofdiscipline.

　　4.TraditionalSchoolsFaceChallenge

　　EveryTuesdayandFriday,6-year-oldHuangKangoestoaseveningclasstolearnhowtoplaythepiano.Heshowslittleinterestinthisextraclass,buthismotheriswillingtopay18yuanamonthforhistuition.Heisoneofthemanyonlychildrenwhoinrecentyearshavestartedattendingclassestolearntoplaymusicalinstruments,ortopaintorsing,eitheronholidaysorintheeveningsduringweek-days.

　　Suchclassesareusuallyrunbyindividuals.BetweenABCsandmusic,thegovernmentcanonlyaffordtheformer.MusicandpaintingareseenasluxuryitemsforChildren.

　　Butparentsareeagertohavethetalentsoftheironlychildrendeveloped.TheywanttheirchildrentolearnfarmorethantheChineseandarithmeticofferedbythepublicschools.

　　Thepeopleineducationandartisticcirclesarefillingthisgapbetweentheparents’wishesandpublicschools.

　　Inthepast,after-schoolactivitycenterswereencouragedtoprovidefreeclassesindancing,playingtheviolinandChineseboxing.Butasmoreandmorepeoplebecomeinterestedandseektotakepart,teachersaremoredifficulttofind.

　　Soupgrewthepracticeforparentstoshowtheirgratitudetothevolunteerteachersbyofferingthemgifts,suchascigarettes,meatandfish,clothingandcouponsforcommoditiesinshortsupply.

　　Butthegiftsneverquitematcheduptotheworkinvolvedandsoteachersbegantochargefortheirservices.

　　Averyquickexpansionofthechargedservicefollowedwithclassesbeingstartedforadults.Theseclassesincludedhairdressingandcookingforwomen,calligraphyandqigongfortheelderlyandchildcareforparents.ManyyoungpeoplealsowenttoEnglishclassestoprepareforteststoqualifythemtogoabroad.

　　Therearenowclassesofvariouskindsinthebigcities.InGuangzhou,forexample,thethirdtrafficpeakhourisfrom9to10intheeveningwhenpeopleareleavingnightschools.

　　Thechargeforservicewasstartedbyindividuals,butnowmanyculturalinstituteshavealsoenteredthemarket.

　　Overthepasttwoyears,theyhavesetupcorrespondencecourses,invitedscholarstogivelecturesandevencompiledtext-books.

　　Itallmeansthatwhatwasonceapurelysocialservicehasturnedintoabusiness.CompetitionhasgrownwithorganizersofferingsuchattractionsastheshowingofnewfilmsandtheissuingofdiplomasapprovedbytheState’sEducationCommission.

　　Fortheinstitutes,theseactivitiesarecollectivemoonlighting.Theyoffertheusuallylow-paidteachersandscienceandtechnologyworkersthechanceofasecondpaypacket.

　　Studentsonthismarketbenefitmore.WomenfromAnhuiProvinceapplyingforbaby-sittingjobscanaskfor5yuanmoreiftheycanspeakputonghuabecauseparentsareconcernedthattheirchildrenwouldotherwisebeaffectedbylocaldialects.Theskilloftypingtoocanbringextraincome.

　　Thebenefitsthatbothteachersandstudentsgainfromthismarketshowjusthowhighlyknowledgeisevaluated.AtatimewhentheStatecannotinvestmoreineducation,suchaspontaneousmarketisnodoubtnecessarysupplement.