The Research Of Civic Education In The Primary And Middle Schools During The Period Of The Nanjing National Government

Civic education is the product of western democratic politics, through civilknowledge and citizen training to cultivate social informed citizen means. In the over 10years since the establishment of the Republic of China, it grew from the integratedpattern into differentiation pattern, the awareness of social education was gradually clearin the society.Since 1922，when Ren-Xu education system was established,citizencurriculum has replaced the traditional Chinese self-cultivation family education, becamethe civic education center program for primary and middle schools implementing. Itinitiated and developed the education of Chinese citizens. The academic community hasquite a lot research on civic education for this initial period, however it was roughly fewfor the period after 1927 when Nanjing national government was in power.To better understand the implementation of civic education in the period of Nanjingnational government in power, the thesis was formed by seven parts as follows:In the first part, several confusing concepts were clarified and the civic educationdevelopment process from late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China wasreviewed.In the second part, civic education’early situation of the Nanjing nationalgovernment was studied regarding the justice party curriculum replacing citizencurriculum. Because of the limited scope, justice party curriculum was eventuallyremoved. However, it had been playing education guidelines role for primary and secondary schools ever since then.In the third part, primary school civic education was focused, covering the citizentraining policies, implementation and civic knowledge learning. In 1933, the ministry ofeducation issued the primary school citizen training standards. The primary schoolcitizen training course became more clear, specialized and systematic. Thereafter,modification was taken according to the changing national and social situation. Thesemeasures were more applicable. Civic knowledge learning could not be ignored. Thejunior primary civic knowledge was classified in general knowledge curriculum andsenior primary civic knowledge was in social curriculum.In the fourth part, middle school civic education was reviewed covering Citizencurriculum’s setting up, curriculum standards and teaching contents changes. In 1934,the high school curriculum standards were released. Citizen curriculum had enormouscontents to demonstrate ethnical culture. Thereafter, with the conventional high schoolcurriculum standards revision lied, citizen curriculum had been kept Besides the civiceducation in middle school, discipline education also played their role to assistcompleting the civic educationIn the fifth part, two special forms of citizen education of Boy scout training andstudents’autonomy were studied. As parts of the discipline education, the Boy scouttraining and student autonomy could be regarded as special civic education forms.In the sixth part, the complement forms of the civic education in the primary andmiddle schools were studied. Besides of Citizen curriculum as the center course ofcivic education, Chinese, history and geography were the very important courses of civic education and based on their respective subject characteristics infiltrating of a largenumber of knowledge of civic education. Especially during the anti-Japanese war period,patriotism was promoted in the primary and middle schools students by these coursesAs the supplementary part of civic education , school extra-curricular activities, lectures,debates, anthem, motto, school cultures, teachers’behavior are indispensable parts ofcivic education.In the seventh part, characteristics, experience, defects and the enlightenment ofcivic education during the period of Nanjing national government were summarized.Civic education in the primary and middle schools based on the inheritance anddevelopment of the early period foundation of civic education were integrated into thenational and political and became more systematic and normative. Three principles ofthe people were the education purpose. Chinese moral was exalted. During theanti-Japanese war, civic education highly promoted students’patriotism andnationalism.The idea of anti- Japan gained the support among the people. The study ofcivic education during the period of the Nanjing national government will benefit futurecivic education. Learning from history can provide the reference to the future.