This thesis seeks to examine the neoliberal characteristics of Korean 5·31 educational reform. Based on this, it studies Chinese policies of educational reforms since the state's carrying out of the "Reform and Opening" policy, especially after 1990s. By these studies, I will attempt to explore and demonstrate the correct direction of the educational reforms in China. The following three key issues have been thoroughly studied.
First, the emergence and main theories of neoliberal educational reform, which has tended to become the dominant reform model of educational reforms, as well as the problems it caused in education field.
Second, the main contents and characteristics of Korean 5·31 educational reform, which aims at honing the state's competitive edge so as to meet the requirements of globalization and information age.
Third, the fundamental objective of a series of educational reforms carried out by Chinese government since 1970s, the process of applying neoliberalism to Chinese educational reforms and the realistic problems caused by it.
The contents go as follow. Chapter II begins with examining the emergence and main theories of neoliberal educational thoughts through a realistic viewpoint without
considering the confusing definition of neoliberalism itself. It proceeds by pointing out the possible negative effects of applying neoliberalism to educational reforms, and then uses the educational reform carried out by USA in 1980s as an illustration to demonstrate the process of neoliberal educational reform in practice.
ChapterIIIbegins with reviewing the whole process and main subjects of Korean 5·31 educational reform as well as its results by using method of documentary research. On this basis, it proceeds by revealing the neoliberal nature of 5·31 educational reform by studying its aims and concrete plans. It then presents the realistic problems emerged in this educational reform.
The final Chapter IV first briefly reviews the history of Chinese educational reforms since 1970s, Then it presents the fundamental problems in Chinese education and the problems of applying neoliberalism to Chinese educational reforms with consideration of the socialist characteristics of China.
Based on all above studies, conclusions come as follow. First, neoliberalism advocates that national governments are under the obligation to promote a free competitive market order by reducing states' administrative interferences in the market. According to neoliberal thoughts, the raise of efficiency and quality should totally base on the consumer-centered competitions among suppliers. However, applying competitive mechanism to education field will obviously cause some educational problems, such as how to ensure the equality of education, how to correctly judge the values of education. Second, with the coming of globalization and information age, education is playing an increasingly important role in honing states' competitive edge. This has become the external factor of educational reforms. In addition, educational problems, including low efficiency and quality of public education, have become the internal factor of educational reforms. The wide spread of neoliberal educational reforms in the whole world since 1980s is an inevitable outcome of the joint function of the external and internal factors. Third, under the influence of both external and internal factors, Korean 5·31 educational reform proposed to build a student-centered competitive system among the suppliers of education. It also planned to raise the quality of education and hone the state's competitive edge through giving full autonomy to schools, making a free-choosing environment between students and schools, and so on. However, due to the inherent characteristics of Korean education, humanism can also be found in 5·31 educational reform. Fourth, neoliberal 5·31 educational reform leads to the possibilities of harming the public characteristics of education, causing even severe inequality in education, and overloading the education-consumers with increasing expenses. Fifth, the most fundamental problems of Chinese education since 1970s are the insufficient educational investments and the low average quality of the people. In order to settle these problems, Chinese government develops the industry of education and the private education system with enthusiasm by attracting private capital into education field. To some extent, this kind of policies of educational reforms can be considered of possessing neoliberal characteristics. However, the traditional centralized administrative system in China cannot perfectly meet the needs of educational reforms and results in a series of educational problems, the unequal competitive environment between the public and private schools as an example. At the same time, under the circumstance of unequal development in different areas, the private capital will cause more serious unequal development in education field because of its pursuing of "more and more profits", and even harm the nature of the socialist education.
Considering the gain and loss of Korean 5·31 educational reform, a few points should be paid attention to in the present educational reforms of China. First, to give full autonomy to local education so that different areas can raise talents according to their own requests. Second, to put the parents of students together with teachers into the management of school education by introducing "Operating Committee System". Third, to complete and improve relevant educational laws and regulations, and make an equal operating environment for the public and private schools. Fourth, to reform enrollment system of higher education and social talent-choosing system so as to fundamentally change the thoughts of regrading learning only as a tool of pursuing status and rewards. Fifth, to complete scholarship system to avoid reduction of investments in education field. Sixth, to strengthen basic education to raise talents for socialistic China. Seventh, to develop students' creative power by diversifying and developing curriculum set-up. Eighth, to develop continuous education and retraining system to overcome the limits of education caused by time and space, and build up a lifelong learning system of family, school and society.