BEIJING - China and the United States have a lot to learn from each other in terms of education, former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Sunday.

Rice, now a Standford political science professor, said that "American education has much to teach the world". It could also learn a lot from China about how to make sure that "the basics of education, for example, science and reading, are well done as well."

Rice made the remarks in her speech on "the importance of education" addressing dozens of students from Beijing Normal University and Hunan International Economics University.

Rice said she is worried about America's basic education, from kindergarten to the 12th grade.

"If you are from a poor family in the United States, your chances of getting a high quality K-12 education is not as great as if you are from a middle-class family."

The situation in basic education could pose a "national security problem" to the United States, said Rice, who is also the former Provost of Standford University.

She also advised China's top universities to recruit students from a larger scale, and give the students more upward mobility.