A new blueprint for education reform in China

Editor's note: Wang Yan, a special commentator for CGTN, is the director of Chinese Society of Education Developmental Strategy. Lu Guo is a master student of Academy of Regional and Global Governance, Beijing Foreign Studies University. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged efforts to make solid progress toward the strategic goal of building China into a leading country in education on September 10, 2024.

This implies substantial change in the role of education in China's endeavors toward modernization. Education, together with science and technology as well as talents were highlighted as three pillars of the most fundamental and strategic support of Chinese modernization.

Not only education was mandated with ever-more important significance for modernization, but a leading country in education is defined to feature ideological and political leadership, competitiveness of talents, scientific and technological advancements, people's wellbeing, social cohesion and international influence.

Nonetheless, integrity and morality are still central to objective of education. In Chinese culture, the idea of virtue has been regarded as the foundation of personal growth for thousands of years, considered essential even before settling down or taking part in state governance.

Up until today, it still impacts the philosophy of education, yet on a new footing. The ultimate goal of education is mandated to be educating well-rounded builders and successors of socialism in ethical, intellectual, physical, aesthetic and practical terms.

With innovation-driven strategy, education will be more closely integrated with science and technology, both of which also play a crucial role in cultivating talents. The forthcoming reform will be guided by scientific development and national strategic needs, with a focus on enhancing innovation capacity.

Spearheading the domestic education development, the higher education sector will be restructured, partly through aligning the disciplines and specialties with developmental needs, focusing on foundational, emerging and interdisciplinary programs and the nurturing of top talents.

Resonating with the people-centered philosophy of governance, the education reform aims at fostering inclusion, accessibility and convenience towards a more equitable development that can benefit all the people. While universal access to nine-year compulsory education has been achieved, Xi calls for a more balanced development, narrowing the rural-urban gap in education.

Caring about students' wellbeing, the Chinese president also insists on consolidating the achievements from the "double reduction" policy, improving classroom-based teaching level as well as quality of after-school services across the board, thoroughly implementing the national strategy for digitization of education, expanding the number of beneficiaries of quality education resources, and improving public services for lifelong learning.

Notably the National Conference on Education was convened on Teacher's Day, reflecting the important role that teachers play in education. The culture of honoring teachers is embedded in such saying as "a day as a teacher, a lifetime as a parent," "teachers are engineers of the human soul and disseminators of human civilization," among others.

Building on the previous policy toward nationwide teacher professional development, we need to improve teachers' political, social and professional status and enhance teachers' guaranteed benefits, and ensure their professional dignity and legitimate rights so that they can become one of the most respectful professions that enjoy high social prestige.

Last but not least, as China continues to advance its opening-up policy, education sector will also further open its doors and learn from the outside world while sharing China's knowledge and resources with other countries, with a view to continuously improve its international influence, competitiveness and discourse power.

In particular, the education sector will expand international academic exchange and education research cooperation, actively engaging in global education governance to contribute more significantly to global education development.

The new mandate for education also emphasizes the balance between national strategy and people's needs, knowledge acquisition and holistic development, talent cultivation and social needs, as well as regulation for order and incentives for strength.

These messages come at a time when most countries in the world have come to reflect on how we understand and what to expect of education in this rapidly changing world. These not only are new ethos, but also chart a course toward a strong nation in education. With this new cycle of reform, accompanied by a set of strategies through an array of projects, initiatives and programs, it's anticipated that China will embrace a more inclusive, equitable and quality education for all.

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