China boosts education system to become a leading country in education

Working as a primary school teacher in Taishitun Township in Beijing, Diao Rongchun has remained deeply committed to education in mountainous areas.

Adhering to the concept of "tolerance, gentleness, cultivation and education," Diao employs a teaching method based on interaction, mutual appreciation and mutual promotion, paying close attention to the growth of every student.

To that end, she has traveled throughout the township, visiting left-behind children and single-parent students in mountainous areas, formulating special study plans for them, and earning the trust and gratitude of their parents.

During an awards ceremony held on Sunday to honor model teachers and outstanding groups and institutions in China's education sector ahead of the 40th Teachers' Day, which falls on Tuesday, Diao, among a total of 716 people, was awarded the title of national model teacher.

While addressing a national meeting on education in Beijing from Monday to Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent greetings to teachers and others working in the education sector across the country, urging efforts to make solid progress toward the strategic goal of building China into a leading country in education.

Building a high-quality education system

To date, China has developed the world's largest and highest-quality education system, achieving a historic leap in the level of education popularization.

According to official data, in 2023, there are 498,300 schools of all types and levels across the country, with 291 million students enrolled in academic education and 18.918 million full-time teachers.

Meanwhile, the academic qualifications of teachers have also steadily improved. In 2023, 78 percent of primary school teachers and 93 percent of junior high school teachers hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The proportion of teachers with senior professional titles has increased significantly, including the establishment of senior teacher positions in primary and secondary schools.

The enrollment rate for higher education increased from 30 percent in 2012 to 57.8 percent in 2021, marking a historic leap that signifies higher education in China has entered a stage of widespread recognition. Many Chinese universities and disciplines have achieved a very advanced level globally.

Additionally, China emphasizes the equal importance and coordinated development of vocational and general education, accelerating the creation of a modern vocational education system to help students with diverse talents and interests realize their potential.

Describing the effort to build a leading education system as complex and systematic, Xi Jinping emphasized the need to focus on education's fundamental task of fostering virtue. He called for efforts to cultivate a high-caliber teaching workforce and stressed the importance of improving teachers' status, pay and welfare to make teaching one of the most respected professions.

Xi also highlighted the need to develop high-quality and balanced compulsory education and to reduce disparities between urban and rural areas, regions, schools and social groups.

Opening China's education sector to the world

In China, many major national projects rely heavily on key technologies provided by universities, which play a crucial role in basic research and are the source of significant scientific and technological breakthroughs.

At the National Science and Technology Award Conference in 2023, universities and colleges won 75.5 percent of the State Natural Science Awards, 75.6 percent of the State Technological Invention Awards, and 56.5 percent of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Awards, respectively.

Moreover, China collaborates on major scientific research projects with relevant countries through the establishment of overseas science and education cooperation centers to address global challenges.

For example, the China-Africa Joint Research Center, established in 2013, is the first comprehensive scientific and educational institution built overseas by China. The center brings together scientific research and teaching institutions from 16 African countries and China to collaborate on fields such as biodiversity surveys and assessments, water resources, and ecological environment monitoring, creating a network that integrates scientific research and talent training.

To date, researchers at the center have jointly published more than 600 papers, held over 30 international training courses and technical sessions, and trained more than 300 students from 14 African countries.

China also hosts various international conferences, such as the World Digital Education Conference, establishes Luban Workshops in multiple countries, and expands exchanges between Chinese and foreign youths, aiming to build a significant global education center.

During the national meeting on education, Xi emphasized the importance of further opening China's education sector to the world, including expanding international academic exchanges and broadening cooperation in education and scientific research.