How did the Cultural Revolution affect education for a generation of Chinese young people?

The Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) had a profound and disruptive impact on the education of a generation of Chinese youth, characterized by the following developments:

• Disruption of Formal Schooling: Higher education was significantly curtailed as academic qualifications were replaced by political fervor and ideological orthodoxy. Schools and universities were often paralyzed by factionalism, and many students, organized into Red Guards, abandoned their studies to engage in political rallies, marches, and the persecution of teachers and intellectuals.12
• "Re-education" and Rural Labor: Millions of students and intellectuals were sent to rural areas for long-term settlement and "re-education." This policy was intended to force the youth to identify with the laboring masses by engaging in agricultural and industrial production, thereby eliminating the perceived divide between mental and manual labor.13
• Ideological Control: Educational institutions were placed under the management of "Mao Zedong thought propaganda teams," often composed of workers, peasants, and soldiers who prioritized political indoctrination over academic learning.1
• Long-term Consequences: The era created a severe generation gap, as young adults were denied a formal education and instead encouraged to resolve grievances through political activism and street protests. This period left many disillusioned and ill-equipped for professional life, necessitating significant reforms in the post-Mao era to restore academic standards.45