An International Study on the Trends of Changing Functions and Flexible Implementations of Compulsory Education

本项目对20多个国家的教育职能转变和弹性实施义务教育的趋势进行了跨国调查。按以下类别进行分析：（1）义务教育制度的变化趋势;（2）义务教育阶段教育改革的趋势;（3）义务教育的灵活实施趋势。许多国家的义务教育期限也趋于延长。没有一个国家打算将义务教育制度从教育义务制转变为上学义务制。义务教育的社会功能，即为每个人提供共同的教育资源，是义务教育发展的必然要求，也是义务教育发展的必然要求。 ...更多信息 在许多国家，人们认识到和（或）减少了义务教育的这方面功能，特别是在义务教育的实施过程中。然而，义务教育的这一功能可能会与另一个功能发生冲突，即向所有人口，包括具有不同文化的少数民族提供基础教育。虽然目前没有一个国家将义务教育的目的界定为保护儿童不受童工剥削，但这并不意味着童工已经完全消除，而是隐藏在所谓弹性实施义务教育的现象中，在我们的调查中没有发现任何证据表明义务教育制度本身已经退化或放松管制。相反，我们发现它的坚实基础是不受时间和国家影响的。在此基础上，我们得出结论：义务教育既有核心功能，又有辅助功能。虽然核心功能的重要性没有降低或减少，但义务教育的外围方面需要改变，以满足快速变化的社会需求。这可能是为什么我们看到在同一个国家的义务教育改革的矛盾趋势。少

In this project, we conducted a cross-national investigation over the trends of functional changes in education and flexible implementation of compulsory education more than 20 countries. Analyses were made in following categories: (1) changing trends of compulsory education systems, and (2) trends of educational reforms in compulsory education level, and (3) trends of flexible implementation of compulsory education.According to the country reports, compulsory education systems themselves have continuously been developing in almost all countries investigated, and duration of compulsory education has also tended to be extended in many countries. No country was found which intended to shift their compulsory system from that of educational obligation to that of schooling obligation. Some countries, on the contrary, are in the process of reinforcement of regulation or control over the compulsory education.The social function of compulsory education that is to provide everyone with common n … More ational knowledge and skill, is recognized and/or declined in many countries and more emphasis has been put on this aspect of function of compulsory education especially in their implementation process. This function of compulsory education, however, may encounter a conflict with another function to extend basic education to their all population including the minorities with different cultures. Although no country nowadays define the purpose of compulsory education as to protect children from exploitation of child labour, this does not mean that child labour has been completely eradicated but rather it is concealed in the phenomena so called flexible implementation of compulsory education.No evidence was found throughout our investigation that the compulsory education system itself has been degraded or deregulated. Rather we found its sound foundations unchangeable regardless of time and nation. Then we conclude that the compulsory education has both core functions and subsidiary functions. While importance of core functions has no means been debased or reduced, peripheral aspects of compulsory education needed to change to meet fast changing demands of society. It may be the reason why we witness contradicting trends of reforms in the same compulsory education in the same country. Less