PrimaryandsecondaryeducationinChinaiscomposedofthreestages:primaryschool,juniormiddleschoolandseniormiddleschool,withalengthofstudyof12yearsaltogether.Generally,thelengthofstudyinprimaryschoolsissixyears;juniormiddleschools,threeyears;andseniormiddleschools,threeyears.Primaryandjuniormiddleschooleducationiscompulsory.Childrenwhohavereachedtheageofsixmayenterprimaryschools.Wherejuniormiddleschooleducationisbasicallyuniversal,studentswhohavegraduatedfromprimaryschoolsmay,withoutexamination,advancetotheappropriatejuniormiddleschools.Juniormiddleschoolgraduatesmayenterseniormiddleschoolsafterpassingexaminationssetbythelocaleducationauthorities.

　　SincetheissuingoftheCompulsoryEducationLawofthePRCin1986,governmentsatalllevelshaveactivelypromotednine-yearcompulsoryeducation,andmaderemarkableachievements.Throughoutthenation,nearly1,500counties,citiesandmunicipaldistrictshavebasicallyinstitutednine-yearcompulsoryeducation,withapopulationcoverageofabout50percent.Seniormiddleschooleducationisnowvirtuallyuniversalinlargeandmedium-sizedcitiesandthecoastalareas,wheretheeconomyisfairlywelldeveloped.

　　Theexperimentclass"withoutdesks"inZhongshanluPrimarySchoolinHarbin.Thisislikedbythepupilsandhasgotgoodresults.Inthepicture,thepupilsareraisingtheirhandstoanswerquestions.¡¡

　　Ethics,laborskillsandafter-schooleducationarepromotedinprimaryandsecondaryschools,layingagoodfoundationfortheenhancementofthestudents'qualityandtheirall-rounddevelopment.OnJanuary7,2000,theMinistryofEducationheldatele-conferenceontheworkoflighteningtheburdenonprimaryandmiddleschoolstudents,anddemandedthatalllocaleducationdepartmentstakeeffectivemeasures.

　　ThehighschooleducationsystemintheUnitedStatesisuniquecomparedwithsecondaryeducationinothercountries.U.S.lawrequiresstudentstoattendschool,buteachstatehasdifferentlawsregardinghowlongstudentsmustattend.Insomestates,studentshavetogotoschooluntiltheageof16,whileothersrequirestudentstoattenduntiltheyare18.

　　Inmostcases,thelengthoftimestudentsareinhighschoolisdeterminedbyhowthelocalschooldistricthasdividedthestudents'grades.Somedistrictsdividethehighschoolintotenththroughtwelfthgradewhileotherdistrictsbeginhighschoolineighthorninthgrade.

　　Studentscanattendaprivateorpublichighschool.Privateschoolschargestudentstuitiontoattend,andsomehaveareligiousaffiliation.AccordingtothePublicSchoolReviewWebsite,privateschoolshavecompetitiveadmission,becausetheyarenotrequiredtoaccepteverystudentwhoapplies.Also,studentsatprivateschoolsdon'thavetomeetthestaterequirementstograduate.Theschooldecideswhatcoursesandprogramsthestudentneedstograduate.Privateschoolteachersdon'thavetobecertifiedbythestatetoteach.Aslongastheymeettheschools'conditions,theycanteach.

　　Publicschoolsreceivemostoftheirmoneyfromstateandlocaltaxes.AccordingtoPublicSchoolReview,publichighschoolshavetoprovideafreeeducationforeverystudent.Atpublichighschools,studentsmustmeetrequirementssetbythestateinwhichthestudentresides.Thiscani