China's basic education reforms, following national plans such as the 2010-2020 National Plan and the

Education Modernization 2035 strategy, have effectively increased access to education and created a system

that focuses on both quality and fairness. However, this organized literature review shows a big difference

between what policies intend to do and how they are actually carried out at the local level. The study says that

although approaches like fiscal equalization and teacher rotation make sense, they don't work well because

there are deep-seated problems within the system. These include a culture that focuses too much on exams,

which stops new teaching methods from being used, not enough rewards for teachers, and the harmful side

effects of policies like closing down schools in rural areas. Ongoing problems such as the hukou system and

China's education reform has followed a long-term, strategic plan designed to improve fairness, educational

standards, and modernization. The education plan from 2010 to 2020 set up a system where money is shared

fairly, schools are managed at the county level, and all students can enrol, which helped more people get

access to education and lessened differences between regions. Based on these accomplishments, the Education

Modernization 2035 plan focused on improving teacher skills, updating how schools are assessed, and

increasing accountability through governance based on performance (CPC & State Council, 2010; 2019). One

significant achievement was the Overall Plan for Deepening the Reform of Education Evaluation (2020/2021),

which shifted from assessments based mainly on exams to a more comprehensive approach that looks at school

quality, how well teaching works, and the well-being of students. Even though there has been a move towards

progress, the way things are being put into action locally is not the same everywhere. This is because some

example, some minority students felt left out, and the local culture started to fade away (Hannum & Wang,

2022). Changes in teacher training, like the Free Teacher Education program, helped more teachers become

available but still had problems with keeping teachers, offering good reasons to stay, and letting teachers make

their own decisions at work (Zhou, 2019). Recent changes, like the Double Reduction Policy from 2021, aimed

to cut down on too much homework and control the private tutoring businesses so that all students have fair

access to good education. However, weak enforcement, public doubt, and continued parent requests for

tutoring have made it less effective (Li & Li, 2023). Similarly, the 2022 Compulsory Education Curriculum

Standards focused on competency-based learning, which highlights creativity and problem-solving skills, but

2022).

4, which aims to provide inclusive and fair quality education, but there are still some ongoing challenges that

need to be addressed. These issues involve differences between rural and urban areas, problems with

supporting teachers, teaching methods that focus too much on exams, and policies that are not applied equally

everywhere. Fixing these issues needs a bigger, long-term approach that improves teachers' enthusiasm, makes

sure opportunities are fair for everyone, and boosts the ability of local communities to manage education

effectively. More study is needed to check how well reforms work, especially when it comes to fairness,

following the right policies, and keeping education improvements going over time.

This study is important for policymakers, teachers, and organizations working on international development. It

offers a clear look at the big difference between strong policies and how they are actually carried out in China's

This study used a qualitative, desk-based approach and conducted a systematic literature review. The SLR

method was chosen because it's thorough and clear, offering a structured way to find, assess, and combine

existing research. This helps create a detailed understanding of policy structures, challenges within institutions,

and methods used to implement policies in China's basic education system (Booth, Sutton, & Papaioannou,

Nine clear inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to keep the focus and ensure relevance. The review

looked at documents from 2010 up to 2023 to make sure the analysis shows the latest changes and

improvements. Non-peer-reviewed articles, opinion pieces, and works published before 2010 were not

included, following the standard guidelines for systematic literature reviews as outlined by Booth et al. in 2016.

throughout the dataset.

themes that answer the research questions.

means.

and combines the evidence.

Exclusion Criteria

Documents published before 2010; non-peer-reviewed materials (e.g., opinion pieces,

Thematic Analysis

Familiarization

Repeated, careful reading of all included documents to gain an in-depth understanding

of policy frameworks, implementation processes, and institutional contexts.

To improve the study's trustworthiness, various methods were used. Triangulation was important because the

results were supported by different kinds of sources, like academic, government, and international ones, to

reduce the chance of bias. Focusing on peer-reviewed articles and official documents helped ensure strict

academic and institutional standards. All steps in gathering and analyzing the data were carefully written down

to make sure everything was clear and could be repeated later. The study also got help from informal peer

review, where coworkers gave feedback on choosing sources and explaining findings, which made the

schools into bigger ones. Research shows that this situation often leads to long travel times, stress from

crowded places, and feeling out of place culturally for kids from rural areas and ethnic minorities (Hannum &

Wang, 2022; Hannum, An, & Wang, 2022). These results show that we need extra efforts like helping with

travel costs, teaching in both languages, and getting people in the community involved to make sure everyone

has fair chances.

teacher rotation and moving them around are trying to fix differences in the quality of teaching. Studies from

Liaoning Province show that to make rotation work well, there need to be helpful support things like housing

on students' abilities to ask questions, think critically, and be creative (MOE, 2022). This modern approach to

teaching is also supported by a digital transformation plan called Education Informatization 2.0. This plan

helps create smart school environments and ensures fair access to digital learning through initiatives such as

live-streamed classes and the use of two teachers working together in the same classroom (Wang & Li, 2022;

according to the Financial Times in 2025. This shrinking population offers a chance to shift focus from

increasing numbers to improving quality, but there are still big challenges in the system that make it hard to do