Wang Zheng is Principal of Shenzhen Middle School [1], China’s leading center for progressive education reform. Appointed Principal in 2002, Mr. Wang has proven to be China’s most progressive high school principal, boldly implementing New Curriculum, the Ministry of Education’s plan to reform China’s national examination system.
Born in 1964 in Beijing to intellectual parents, Mr. Wang attended Peking University High School and studied physics at Peking University. He returned to Peking University High School to teach for 8 years before becoming Vice-Principal for another 8 years.
Since taking the helm at Shenzhen Middle School in 2002, Mr. Wang has overhauled the school. He eliminated the “head teacher” system, and moved to a credit system where students had to choose their classes and organize their own schedules. He created a House system to manage the students, and encouraged the proliferation of student activities.
Currently, Shenzhen Middle School is divided into four streams. The first stream (Houses 1-4) emphasize the traditional Chinese education system while the second (Houses 5-6) emphasize the Ministry of Education’s New Curriculum model . The third stream (House 7) is the Math and Science Olympiad class, where students compete in international competitions. The fourth stream (House 8) is the Special Curriculum[2], a program that aims to prepare Chinese students to study in American universities. With these four different streams, Principal Wang Zheng has achieved his ideal of bringing freedom and choice, diversity and individuality to the Chinese public school sector.
In May 2008 Peking University appointed Mr. Wang Principal of its high school. He is now concurrently head of two of the most famous public high schools in China.