Comparative analysis of preschool education standardization in China and Russia: Stages, structure, and challenges
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Abstract
Background. In the context of globalization, the standardization of preschool education has become a key tool for improving educational quality. Possessing distinct socio-cultural characteristics and having undergone numerous reforms throughout their history, China and Russia demonstrate unique pathways in standardizing preschool education, yet face similar challenges such as excessive uniformity and adaptation difficulties. Using comparative analysis, this study identifies similarities and differences in the development of theory and practice between the two countries, offering a cross-cultural perspective for optimizing international educational policy, particularly in the context of balancing globalization and localization in developing nations.
Objectives. To systematically compare the stages, structural features, and current challenges of preschool education standardization in China and Russia, paying special attention to the interplay of socio-economic transformations and cultural traditions in shaping standards, as well as to analyze differences in the selection and implementation of educational policy instruments.
Sample. Selected regulatory and policy documents, academic publications, and practical examples from China (2001-2020) and Russia (1990-2020), including the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kazan, with regional coverage extending to other cities and nearby villages.
Methods. The literature analysis method was applied to systematize regulatory documents and scholarly works, the comparative method was used to contrast standards based on objectives, curricula, and assessment, and case-study analysis was employed for an in-depth examination of the effectiveness of educational standards implementation in selected kindergartens. The research was supplemented with quantitative data on the distribution of educational resources.
Results. China is characterized by a subject-oriented approach and centralized control, emphasizing educational accessibility but facing a tendency towards “schoolification.” The Russian education system focuses on play-based methods and institutional autonomy; however, this creates regional inequality in resource distribution. Both countries encounter an imbalance between the standardization of approaches and educational flexibility, uneven distribution of educational resources, and differences in the use of technologies in education.
Conclusions. Standardizing preschool education requires maintaining a balance between unification and diversity in the educational process content, integrating cultural traditions with international experience. It is also necessary to enhance the effectiveness of educational policy through flexible educational standards and the equitable distribution of educational resources. As a solution, a model of “core competencies + space for development” is proposed, along with strengthening professional support for teachers and creating mechanisms for interregional resource sharing.
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