On Ensuring Educational Evaluation Quality in China

The Chinese people have a long tradition of respect for education due to influences of ancient philosophers and educators, including Confucius and Mencius. As early as the Western Zhou period (1046–771 BC), periodical educational evaluation was implemented in schools (cf. Shen 1990). The first formal educational evaluation in China took place in the Sui Dynasty in AD 606, when Emperor Suiwen implemented the imperial civil service examination (cf. Sun & Du 2008). The results of the examination were used as basis for deciding a potential candidate’s position in the government. The imperial civil service examination, which lasted for around 1,300 years, was abolished during the Qing dynasty, in 1905 (cf. Sun & Du 2008).