Chinese best-performing ethnic group in UK education

Chinese maths teacher Jin Xiangjun takes a lesson at a school in Essex in 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese students outperform learners from all other ethnic groups in the United Kingdom between the ages of 14 and 18, according to a government survey published on Tuesday.

It is a study about the experience of ethnic groups that live in the UK, including Pakistani, Indian, Chinese, Black African, Black Caribbean and white British.

The Ethnicity Facts and Figures survey is designed to show where ethnic inequality exists in the UK, so it can be examined and addressed.

Theresa May, the British prime minister, said she wanted the audit to reveal any uncomfortable truths about the experiences of ethnic groups in Britain's schools, workplaces, hospitals, and its justice system.

Many categories are simply divided into the experiences of Asian, black, and white people, so give a generalized picture.

The survey shows 83 percent of ethnically Chinese students get grades from A to C in math and English at age 14-16, compared to 77 percent of people who originate in India, 63 percent of white British, and 58 percent of people who are ethnically Pakistani.

Among the same age group, 62 percent of Chinese students passed a General Certificate of Secondary Education in eight subjects, compared to 57 percent of Indians, 50 percent of white British, and 49 percent of Pakistanis.

Among children aged 5 to 7, Indian pupils outperform Chinese pupils in most measures but that changes over time. Some 24 percent of Chinese students got three As or better in their Advanced Level exams at age 16-18, compared to 14 percent of Indians, 11 percent of white British, and 7 percent of Pakistanis.

Chinese households were among the richest in the UK. Thirty-five percent of Indian families earned more than 1,000 pounds ($1,318) per week, compared to 30 percent of Chinese families, 24 percent of white British and 17 percent of Pakistani families.

The Chinese did not fare so well in home ownership, with 39 percent owning their own homes, compared to 68 percent of Indians and white British and 64 percent of Pakistanis.

Chinese students attend Bell's summer camp. [Photo provided to China Daily]