15. A Sample Survey Regarding the Integration of Smaller Ethnic Group Culture into the National Curriculum System of Basic Education

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, education for minorities in China had made great achievements and a more or less complete minority education system had been formed. By the end of 2008, the counties in regions inhabited by ethnic groups that had realized the "Two Basics" amounted to 674, accounting for 96.6% of the total number of such counties. The goals of universalization of nine-year compulsory education and eradication of illiteracy among the middle-aged and young had been basically realized in regions inhabited by ethnic groups, and the earlier problem of access to education for most children was solved. Integrating minority culture into the national basic education curriculum was not only the key to improve the quality of education for minorities but also an important measure of protecting cultural diversity and accelerating a harmonious development of economy, society and culture in these regions. Keywords:China's smaller ethnic groups; minority education; national curriculum system