Framework

Overview on the development of vocational education offered by education groups

Source: www.moe.gov.cn
2018-04-27

Schools run by education groups help to complete the vocational education system in China. By the end of 2016, there were a total 1,406 vocational education groups in the country, up 358 on the 1,048 at the end of 2014, continuing the growth of the past few years: +16.51% from 2014 to 2015 and + 15.15% from 2015 to 2016.

Of this total there were 1,095 or 77.88% industrial education groups and 311 or 22.12% regional ones. In 2016, the number of industrial education groups grew by 36.53%, or 293 up on 2014, while the number of regional education groups rose by 26.42%, or 65 up on 2014. The fact that industrial education groups outpaced regional education groups in both the total numbers and growth indicates the special positioning of “industries” in industry-education collaboration for vocational education.

Vocational education groups led by various enterprises and agencies all experienced some growth in 2016. The number of enterprises that participated in the programs run by vocational education groups totaled 24,369 (including 10 international participants), an increase of 31.27% from 18,564 (including 7 international participants) in 2015. Of this number, the proportion of industrial enterprises above the designated size and non-industrial enterprises above the designated size rose by 10.47%, from 57.80% in 2014 to 68.27% in 2016. Among all participating enterprises, 13,151 were based in eastern China, 5,855 in central China and 5,353 in western China, representing increases of 94.00%, 53.03%. and 130.04% respectively on 2014. 147 out of the national top 500 enterprises participated in the programs run by vocational education groups, up by 77.11% from 83 in 2014.

With the development of vocational education run by education groups, the number of participating vocational schools also increased. A total of 5,827 vocational schools participated in programs run by 983 vocational education groups. The number consisted of 4,591 full-time secondary vocational schools and 1,236 higher vocational schools, representing 47.58% and 90.95% of all full-time secondary and higher vocational schools in the country, respectively.

Vocational education groups covered almost every industry in the service sector. There were 98, 530 and 467 vocational education groups serving the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors, accounting for 8.95%, 48.40% and 42.65% of the total number, respectively. The number of tertiary sector groups as a proportion of the total number of groups is the same as the share occupied by the tertiary sector in China’s national economy.