Draw a grand blueprint for the new era, accelerate the modernization of education and build an educational power.
— — The person in charge of the Ministry of Education answered reporters’ questions on "Education Modernization in China 2035" and "Implementation Plan for Accelerating Education Modernization (2018-2022)"
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, February 23rd Recently, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued "China Education Modernization 2035", and the general offices of the General Office of the Central Committee of the CPC and the State Council issued "Implementation Plan for Accelerating Education Modernization (2018-2022)" (hereinafter referred to as "Implementation Plan"). The head of the Ministry of Education answered the reporter’s questions about the two documents.
Q: Please introduce the background and significance of the compilation of China Education Modernization 2035.
A: The formulation of educational modernization documents is an important strategic deployment made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council when Socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a new era. It is also an important measure to implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the spirit of the National Education Conference and accelerate the modernization of education.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the CPC Central Committee with the Supreme Leader as the core has unswervingly implemented the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education and strengthening the country through talents, insisted on giving priority to the development of education, vigorously promoted comprehensive reform in the field of education, continuously increased investment in education, accelerated the modernization of education, and achieved all-round and groundbreaking historical achievements. The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clearly stated that building an educational power is the basic project for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and we must give priority to education, deepen educational reform, speed up educational modernization, and run a satisfactory education for the people. General Secretary of the Supreme Leader has given instructions on education for many times, emphasizing the development of modern education with China characteristics and world level, which has pointed out the direction for building an educational power. On September 10, 2018, the CPC Central Committee held a national education conference. The General Secretary of the Supreme Leader delivered an important speech at the conference, systematically answering major theoretical and practical questions related to the modernization of education, making comprehensive arrangements for accelerating the modernization of education, building an educational power, and running a satisfactory education for the people, and issuing a mobilization order to the whole party and the whole society to accelerate the modernization of education, which provided a fundamental follow-up for education in the new era. In his speech, Premier Li Keqiang stressed that it is necessary to accurately grasp the new situation and new tasks facing the development of education, fully implement the strategy of giving priority to the development of education, and support national modernization with educational modernization.
Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, and the basic, leading and overall status and role of education have become more prominent. To speed up the step towards an innovative country, build a modern economic system, build a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious and beautiful socialist modern power, realize the Chinese dream of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and meet the people’s needs for a better life, we must speed up the modernization of education and build China into an educational power. From a global perspective, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial revolution are gestating, major scientific and technological innovations are leading new changes in social production, the development of new technologies such as the Internet and artificial intelligence is constantly reshaping the educational form, and the ways of knowledge acquisition and teaching, and the relationship between teaching and learning are undergoing profound changes. The people’s demand for education is more diverse, and the demand for higher quality, fairer and more personalized education is more urgent. We must seize the opportunity, advance the layout, make strategic arrangements and overall designs for accelerating the modernization of education and building an educational power with a higher historical position, a broader international vision and a deeper strategic vision, so as to push China’s education forward in a higher quality, more efficient, fairer and more sustainable direction.
Since the reform and opening up, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have successively promulgated the Outline of China’s Education Reform and Development, the Outline of the National Medium-and Long-Term Education Reform and Development Plan (2010-2020) and other programmatic documents, which have effectively guided and promoted the education reform and development in different historical periods. The year 2035 is an important time node for China to basically realize socialist modernization. It is of great practical significance and far-reaching historical significance to draw a long-term blueprint for educational development, point out the direction for opening a new journey of educational modernization in the new era, and cultivate a new generation of socialist builders and successors. The compilation of "China Education Modernization 2035" is also a practical action for China to actively participate in global education governance, fulfill its commitment to the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and contribute China wisdom, China experience and China’s program to the development of world education.
Q: Please tell us about the positioning of the two documents.
A: The two documents are combined far and near, each with its own division of labor and emphasis, which together constitute the top-level design and action plan of educational modernization.
China Education Modernization 2035 is China’s first medium-and long-term strategic plan with the theme of education modernization. It is a programmatic document to promote education modernization and build an educational power in the new era. It is positioned as an overall, strategic and instructive plan. Compared with previous medium-and long-term educational plans, it has a longer time span and focuses on goal orientation. It is based on the overall strategic arrangement of Socialism with Chinese characteristics construction in the new era, starting from two centennial goals and the overall situation of national modernization. On the basis of summarizing the achievements and experiences of educational reform and development since the reform and opening up, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, this paper describes the prospect of educational development in the future, systematically outlines the strategic vision of China’s educational modernization, and defines the strategic objectives, tasks and implementation paths of educational modernization.
The next five years will be the historical intersection of realizing the two centennial goals, the key period of implementing the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the spirit of the National Education Conference, and laying the foundation for realizing the goal of educational modernization in 2035, and also the connecting period between the outline of medium-and long-term education planning, the closing of the 13th Five-Year Plan and the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan. The "Implementation Plan" is located in the action plan and construction drawing, and is the timetable and road map for accelerating the modernization of education and building an educational power during the current term of office of the government. It emphasizes action and operability, and focuses on problem orientation. It focuses on the strategic issues of education development in the next five years, the urgent issues facing the current education development and the issues of concern to the people in accordance with the principles of operability, feasibility, monitoring and evaluation. Refine the long-term goals and strategic tasks of educational modernization into specific goals, tasks and tasks in the next five years, guide and promote educational reform and development in the next five years, and ensure a good start and a good step in educational modernization in the new era.
Q: Please brief us on the drafting process of the two documents.
A: The drafting of educational modernization documents was started in early 2016, which lasted for more than two years. Comrade Wang Huning gave instructions on the drafting of documents many times, and Comrade Sun Chunlan made specific arrangements for related work many times. Mainly carried out the following work:
The first is to implement the central spirit. Deeply study and understand the Supreme Leader’s Socialism with Chinese characteristics Thought in the new era and the important exposition of the Supreme Leader’s General Secretary on education, systematically study the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 19th Central Committee and the National Education Conference, conscientiously sum up the historic achievements made in education reform and development under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with the Supreme Leader as the core since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, thoroughly implement the central government’s strategic plan for future development, especially education reform and development, and strive to implement the central spirit and national strategy in the document.
The second is to organize special research. Organize experts to carry out forward-looking research on future economic, social and educational development trends and demographic changes, and invite the World Bank and UNESCO to make policy suggestions. The calculation and demonstration of educational development goals at all levels and types provide strong support for the drafting of documents.
The third is to conduct in-depth research. Members of the Party Group of the Ministry of Education led a team to conduct research in various places. We have extensively consulted entrepreneurs, experts and scholars, responsible comrades in charge of education in various provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and some college secretaries and presidents. Systematically collect and analyze the latest education strategies of major countries in the world, hold an international consultation meeting on China’s education modernization at UNESCO headquarters, listen to the opinions of OECD, and analyze and judge the development trend of global education reform.
The fourth is to solicit opinions extensively. The two manuscripts have solicited opinions from relevant departments and localities for many times. Among them, "China Education Modernization 2035" also solicited opinions and suggestions from relevant departments of the central party, government, and military groups, organs of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the central committees of democratic parties, relevant universities and some representatives of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and experts and scholars. Relevant departments and localities actively participate in collaborative research. The opinions of the delegates to the National Education Conference were solicited in writing. The opinions and suggestions put forward by all parties have been carefully studied and fully absorbed.
Q: What are the outstanding features of China Education Modernization 2035?
A: Guided by Socialism with Chinese characteristics Thought of the Supreme Leader in the New Era, the document thoroughly implements the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the spirit of the National Education Conference, and has the following distinctive features:
The first is to serve the people of the country. Proceeding from the requirements of consolidating and developing Socialism with Chinese characteristics, it clearly puts forward to strengthen the Party’s overall leadership over education, highlighting the main line of cultivating socialist builders and successors with all-round development in morality, intelligence, physique, beauty and labor. Focusing on the overall layout of "five in one" and the strategic layout of "four comprehensive", this paper puts forward the construction of an open and integrated modern education system. Adhere to the people-centered development thought, conform to the people’s expectations, and let the achievements of educational development benefit the whole people more and more fairly.
The second is to reflect forward-looking guidance. Combing the advanced experience and forward-looking research results at home and abroad, this paper puts forward the basic concept of China’s educational modernization. In-depth analysis of the background of Socialism with Chinese characteristics’s entry into a new era, the new opportunities and challenges of a new round of scientific and technological and industrial revolution, docking with major national strategies such as manufacturing power and scientific and technological power, adhering to demand-oriented and problem-oriented, and clarifying the ideas and directions for promoting educational modernization.
The third is based on national conditions and world conditions. According to the strategic arrangement of Socialism with Chinese characteristics’s construction in the new era, with reference to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, China’s educational orientation should be considered in the overall situation of national modernization and building a community of human destiny. Insist on running education based on the land of China, focus on the outstanding problems of insufficient imbalance in educational development, focus on solving the most direct and realistic problems that the masses are most concerned about, proceed from the national conditions in the primary stage of socialism, do our best and do what we can, and scientifically set the goals and tasks of educational modernization.
The fourth is to highlight reform and innovation. Adhere to the institutional framework of promoting development through reform and systematically planning educational modernization, take institutional mechanism innovation as the fundamental driving force of educational modernization, make full use of new mechanisms, new models and new technologies to stimulate the vitality of educational development and ensure the realization of educational modernization goals.
Fifth, pay attention to planning and implementation. Adhere to the combination of macro guidance and concrete actions, put forward a series of operational and implementable strategic tasks, and clarify the implementation path and safeguard measures. Adhere to the overall planning and classified guidance, so that the document has stronger guidance for promoting the implementation of all localities while planning the overall situation of educational modernization.
Q: Educational modernization is a process of catching up with the advanced education level in the world, and it is also a process of continuous development and advancing with the times with the development of the times and the deepening of practice. What ideas are put forward in China Education Modernization 2035 to promote education modernization?
A: Educational modernization is a high-level development state of education, a transcendence of traditional education, and an all-round transformation of educational development concept, development mode and system. China Education Modernization 2035 implements the Supreme Leader’s New Era Socialism with Chinese characteristics Thought and the important exposition spirit of the Supreme Leader’s General Secretary on education, and puts forward the guiding ideology, basic ideas and basic principles for promoting education modernization.
The guiding ideology defines the general requirements for promoting educational modernization at present and in the future. Among them, the strong leadership of the party is the fundamental guarantee for running our education well; Carrying out the Party’s educational policy in an all-round way, adhering to the guiding position of Marxism, adhering to the road of educational development in Socialism with Chinese characteristics and adhering to the socialist direction of running schools are the fundamental directions that cannot be deviated. Based on the basic national conditions, following the laws of education, and persisting in reform and innovation are the principles of developing education and running schools; Cohesing people’s hearts, perfecting personality, developing manpower, cultivating talents and benefiting the people are the working goals of career development; Cultivating socialist builders and successors with all-round development in morality, intelligence, physique, beauty and labor is the fundamental task of education; Accelerating the modernization of education, building an educational power and running a satisfactory education for the people are the main themes running through the education reform and development. Improving education quality, promoting education equity and optimizing education structure are important points to promote education modernization. It puts forward seven basic principles: adhering to the leadership of the Party, China characteristics, giving priority to development, serving the people, reform and innovation, administering education according to law, and promoting overall development.
Idea is the forerunner of action. China has a unique history, culture and national conditions. It has a history of nearly 3,000 years of education and has accumulated rich educational experience and wisdom. To promote educational modernization, we must take root in China, integrate China and foreign countries, base ourselves on the times and face the future, draw nutrition from China’s excellent educational traditions, actively absorb and learn from international advanced experience, and guide educational modernization with new development concepts and educational ideas. "China Education Modernization 2035" lists the "basic concepts" in a separate section, and systematically puts forward eight basic concepts of "paying more attention", namely, putting morality first, developing in an all-round way, facing everyone, lifelong learning, teaching students in accordance with their aptitude, integrating knowledge with practice, integrating development, and building and sharing. These eight basic concepts follow the laws of education and talent growth, and also conform to the development trend of international education.
Q: How to understand the overall goal of promoting educational modernization?
A: Educational modernization is an improvement in the overall level of popularization, quality, fairness and structure. In terms of strategic objectives, the document sets the strategic arrangement for the national modernization. On the basis of in-depth analysis of the development trend of education and international comparison, it puts forward the overall goal of making significant progress in educational modernization by 2020, realizing educational modernization in general and stepping into the ranks of educational powers by 2035. At the same time, eight main development goals in 2035 are put forward: first, to build a modern education system that serves lifelong learning for all; The second is to popularize quality preschool education; The third is to realize high-quality and balanced compulsory education; The fourth is to popularize high school education in an all-round way; Fifth, the service capacity of vocational education has been significantly improved; Sixth, the competitiveness of higher education has improved significantly; Seventh, disabled children and adolescents enjoy suitable education; The eighth is to form a new pattern of educational governance in which the whole society participates. These eight goals cover the target requirements of educational modernization, such as system structure, popularization level, education quality, talent training structure and service contribution ability. At the same time, it puts forward the main quantitative expected goals of education development and human resources development level in 2035. The determination of these goals is based on the overall strategic goal of national modernization, echoes the global sustainable development agenda in 2030, embodies the characteristics of China, conforms to the national conditions, and embodies the goal requirements of making education adapt to the development requirements of the party and the state, the expectations of the people, and the comprehensive national strength and international status of China.
Q: What key tasks are planned and deployed in the two documents around the strategic goal of accelerating the modernization of education and building an educational power?
A: According to the general goal of educational modernization, China Educational Modernization 2035 puts forward ten strategic tasks to promote educational modernization. First, study the Supreme Leader’s Socialism with Chinese characteristics Thought in the new era, which is the fundamental follow-up to promote educational modernization. The second is to develop world-class high-quality education with China characteristics, fully implement the fundamental task of cultivating people by virtue, and form a high-level talent training system, which is the core requirement of educational modernization. The third is to promote the popularization of high-level and high-quality education at all levels and comprehensively expand people’s educational opportunities, which is an important foundation for realizing educational modernization. Fourth, to achieve equalization of basic public education services and strive to make all people enjoy a fairer education, which is the basic requirement of educational modernization. Fifth, build a lifelong learning system serving the whole people and accelerate the construction of a learning society, which is an urgent need to serve lifelong learning and build a learning country. Sixth, improve the ability of first-class talents training and innovation, optimize the structure of education system and school layout, and strive to improve the innovative service level of colleges and universities. The seventh is to build a high-quality professional and innovative teaching staff, adhere to the construction of teaching staff as the basic work, and provide talent support for educational modernization. Eighth, accelerate the educational reform in the information age, promote the reform and innovation of educational organization form and management mode, and promote educational modernization with information technology. Ninth, create a new pattern of education opening to the outside world, actively serve the construction of the "Belt and Road", comprehensively strengthen pragmatic cooperation in education with countries and international organizations around the world, and enhance the international influence of China’s education.The tenth is to promote the modernization of educational governance system and governance capacity, and establish a new cooperative governance mechanism with multiple participation, which is an important guarantee for educational modernization. Among them, the quality, popularization, fairness, lifelong and innovative service ability of education reflect the main connotation of educational modernization, and the professionalization of teachers, modernization of governance, informationization and internationalization are the important supports of educational modernization. These strategic tasks, based on the current situation, focus on the outstanding problems and weak links in the development of education, highlight the shortcomings and lay a solid foundation, and focus on the long-term, reflecting the requirements of the times and conforming to the future development trend.
According to the strategic task of education in 2035, the Implementation Plan focuses on the current situation and puts forward ten tasks to promote education modernization in the next five years. Among them, Lide Shuren is the basic project, the consolidation and improvement of basic education, the integration of production and education in vocational education, and the connotation development of higher education are important points to build a modern education system, and the construction of teachers and the informationization of education are strong supports to promote education modernization. Promoting the regional innovation experiment of educational modernization is the strategic focus to promote the formation of a new pattern of regional education development, promoting the "One Belt, One Road" educational action is an important measure to enhance the international influence of China’s education, and deepening the comprehensive education reform in key areas is the source of power for educational modernization.
Q: "China Education Modernization 2035" depicts the grand blueprint of education modernization, with a long time span. How to ensure the realization of the goals and tasks of education modernization?
A: In order to ensure the realization of the goals and tasks of educational modernization, China Educational Modernization 2035 puts forward three safeguard measures:
First, strengthen the party’s overall leadership over education. Including the establishment and improvement of the unified leadership of the Party Committee, the joint management of the Party and the government, and the respective responsibilities of the departments, strengthening the party leadership and party building in schools at all levels, and building a contingent of high-quality professional education system cadres. This is the fundamental guarantee for doing a good job in education.
The second is to improve the investment support system for educational modernization. Take education investment as a basic and strategic investment to support the country’s long-term development, deepen the reform of the investment mechanism of education funds, improve the level of education investment and the efficiency of the use of funds, and provide a strong material guarantee for the realization of education modernization.
The third is to improve the implementation mechanism. We should build an effective mechanism to promote educational modernization in an all-round way, turn China’s socialist political advantage into an institutional advantage to promote educational modernization, concentrate our efforts on major events, and rely on departmental and regional cooperation to promote educational modernization.
Q: There is no precedent in the world to realize the modernization of education in a big country with a population of nearly 1.4 billion. What are your considerations in promoting implementation?
A: To promote educational modernization, we must proceed from reality, base ourselves on the national conditions, do our best and do what we can, and scientifically design the development strategy, objectives and paths of educational modernization.
First, overall planning and regional promotion. Under the framework of the national master plan for educational modernization, we will urge all localities to proceed from reality, formulate plans for educational modernization in their own regions, and promote the development of educational modernization by regions. The second is to refine the goals and advance step by step. Clear the timetable and roadmap for promoting educational modernization, scientifically determine the phased objectives and tasks, and promote educational modernization step by step in a planned way. The third is precise policy and overall promotion. Give full play to the radiation-driven role of the eastern region in the development of education in the central and western regions, speed up the process of educational modernization in backward areas and key areas, and coordinate the development of educational modernization. Fourth, reform goes first and system is promoted. Carry out the pilot reform of educational modernization in batches, innovate the system and mechanism, and fully release the vitality of educational development.
The General Secretary of the Supreme Leader emphasized that education is a major plan of the country and the party. Education is the common cause of the whole party and society. It is a long-term process to speed up the modernization of education and build an educational power. We must draw a blueprint to the end and persevere for a long time. The education system will closely unite around the CPC Central Committee with the Supreme Leader as the core, strengthen responsibility, forge ahead with determination, implement the central decision-making and deployment, fully implement the party’s education policy, and turn the "four self-confidences" into self-confidence in running China education well. While giving full play to the leading role of the government, we should fully mobilize all social forces, strengthen the cooperation among schools, society and families, and participate in and support the modernization of education in various forms and ways. Our department will timely summarize and publicize the typical experiences and practices of promoting educational modernization in various places and schools, and also hope that all sectors of society will care, support and actively participate in educational modernization, create a good ecological and social atmosphere for educational reform and development, and jointly create a new situation in educational modernization in the new era.