Peking University President Zhou Qifeng bashedUS education as being "a complete mess" during a speech inChangsha, Hunan Province on Saturday, sparking extensive criticism from netizens.
"The US education system is a complete mess, even the president of the country hasn't learned to respect others, and uses force to get others to follow his will," Zhou told the audience comprised of students from the city's four elite schools at Changsha No. 1 Middle School.
Zhou made the comments amid widespread criticism of China's education system, which Zhou claimed has been a great success. "The reason our country has been making progress is we keep producing talent within our education system," Zhou said.
Although Zhou emphasized that his speech was not designed to recruit students, he repeatedly told the audience that Peking University is the best university in China. "It is a big loss for students to miss an opportunity to enroll at our school," Zhou added.
Peking University normally takes the best students through the highly competitive gaokao, or the National College Entrance Examinations. However, in recent years, more top students have passed on their offers, choosing to study in Western countries or Hong Kong.
Zhou earned his master's and doctorate degrees at the University of Massachusetts, a well-respected university in the US.He began serving as president of Peking University in December 2008.
Zhou's criticism on education in the US has led to several online disputes. As of today, there are more than 170,000 hits on this hot topic on Sina Microblog, the biggest microblog portal in China.
Comments posted on the microblog:
"Since US education is bad in your opinion, why did you choose to study in the US for your master's and doctorate degrees? As a graduate of Peking University, I am ashamed of your remarks."
Wang Yijun, a lawyer from Beijing Bairui Law Firm
"He is extremely arrogant. If the presidents of Chinese universities all share this opinion, how can Chinese education make any progress?"
Jiang Shuye, a publisher at an educational book company in Beijing
"Zhou should try to find out why more Chinese college graduates choose to get their master's and doctorate degrees at US universities, and why more middle school students in China now take the SAT test. Are these examples of the advances Chinese education has made and the bad points of education in the US?"
Longxiong, a Sina microblogger
"I think Zhou uses such words to persuade students to go to Peking University, instead of a foreign university. However, I think paying more attention on improving the university's strength is more effective in attracting good students."
Kai-Fu Lee, CEO of Innovation Works
"The criticism is ridiculous. US universities no doubt have made more achievements in academic research than Chinese universities."
A web user named "qrui82" commenting after Sohu's report
"I don't know if the story has been taken out of context. I think the university president may have been trying to point out that the US education system is awful at teaching students to be world citizens, as US presidents like to force others to obey US values."
Jiang Niansheng, a Sina Microblog user
