Accelerate the Pace of Educational Reform in Minority Regions: Primary Education in the Four Counties of Southwestern Yunnan

Abstract

The four counties of Ximeng, Cangyuan, Lancang, and Menglian, in southwestern Yunnan, all directly abut Burma. The area is representative of minority nationality concentrations in Yunnan province with more than four-fifths of the total population belonging to that group. Moreover, its ethnic composition, the historical roots of its education and culture, the level of socioeconomic development, geographical environment, and other aspects of this region are also reflective of the major difficulties facing the popularization of primary education in the county's minority areas. In this article, survey data are analyzed to provide an overview of primary education in the four counties and the basis to make proposals for educational reform. It is my hope that this will assist the endeavor to popularize primary education in minorities areas.