A prevalent belief in the Western world is that Chinese students learn through rote memorization, resulting in a workforce lacking innovation. However, this view is challenged by evidence that the Chinese education system produces highly skilled and creative individuals. Apple CEO Tim Cook and Tesla CEO Elon Musk noted the vast concentration of skilled labor in China, exemplified by the large number of engineering graduates—over ten million annually—supporting a robust economy. Chinese students consistently excel in international assessments like PISA, topping rankings in reading, mathematics, and science since Shanghai’s participation began in 2009. Australian researchers have been examining this “paradox of the Chinese learner” to understand how a system characterized as passive can outperform its Western counterparts.
https://asiatimes.com/2024/10/what-the-west-could-learn-from-china-on-education