As cooler breezes brought in waves of golden leaves creating a delight for the eye, China celebrated its 34th Teachers’ Day. On this occasion, the CPC Central Committee held a national education conference to celebrate this date. The General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the conference, which crystallized achievements and highlighted the experience gained through educational reform and development since the 18th CPC National Congress, provided solutions to several major issues concerning the modernization of education based on in-depth analyses of new circumstances and tasks, and set out essential guidelines for developing and improving the education system in the short to long term.
The Party attaches great importance to the development of education. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi as its core has reinforced the Party’s leadership over all education related initiatives, student moral development and ideological and political education in schools, reform of educational systems, and the accelerated modernization of education. Consequently, China’s global influence in the field of education has increased rapidly, while the overall morality and educational attainment of the Chinese population has significantly improved.
All achievements and experience learnt in the educational sector over the past 5 years should be attributed to the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the sound guidance given by XI Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in a New Era. General Secretary Xi has proposed a range of new philosophies, ideas and viewpoints regarding educational reform, calling upon those working in education to continue their hard work in 9 areas: (1) ensuring full Party leadership, (2) strengthening the foundation built on moral education, (3) prioritizing educational development, (4) setting education in a socialist direction, (5) development of education rooted in China, (6) people-oriented progress, (7) deepening educational reform and innovation, (8) fulfilling the goal of revitalizing the Chinese nation, and (9) focusing on teacher development. It behooves those engaged in education to steadfastly follow these requirements, while studying and further developing them as a navigational chart to guide educational reform through the new era.
To offer quality education that meets people’s expectations, the education sector must rise to new challenges emerging from evolving circumstances and imperatives. During this period of unprecedented development, the education and learning sector will face renewed and higher demands created by reform and opening up policy, socialist modernization, and work on the all-round education and social progress. Only by seeing these changes as a chance to anticipate and draft overall strategic plans for promoting the modernization of education and empowering the nation through education, and putting the development of education high on the national agenda, will the education sector be able to fully meet the Party’s requirements and people’s expectations, while better serving the needs of China’s national power and international status.
To offer quality education that meets people’s expectations, the education sector must also systematically solve the fundamental issues of “who to educate and how, and for whom.” The education sector should nurture generations of capable people who are well prepared to join the socialist cause while upholding the Party’s leadership and the socialist system. Therefore, a large-scale workforce of high quality and professional teachers will be required as a foundation for developing education, and more emphasis will be put on systematic, integrated and synergetic reform measures to boost vitality and increase motivation. Meanwhile, the Party must exercise full leadership over all education related initiatives to ensure the provision of quality education.
Education plays a vital role in the national revival and social progress of China. Now the country’s development has a more urgent need for education, scientific knowledge and a highly skilled pool of labor. The education sector must stand united around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi as its core and firmly implement the Party’s educational policies on the path of socialist education with Chinese characteristics, aspiring to offer quality education that meets people’s expectation, nurture capable young people well prepared to join the socialist cause and bolster the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
