On November 10, Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng participated online in the High-Level Segment of the 2021 Global Education Meeting hosted by UNESCO as special envoy for Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Huai stated in his speech that education was the cornerstone of human civilization, revitalization of nations and advancement of societies. The Chinese government has always prioritized the development of education, as manifested in its ever-increasing educational investments. China has integrally tied the UNESCO’s Education 2030 Agenda into its modernization process, by ensuring a proportionate share of GDP is spent on public education (no less than 4% over the past nine years) and reducing school dropout rates based on a strategy of eradicating absolute poverty. Great results have been achieved through educational reform, with education made more universal at all levels.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, China has managed to maintain epidemic prevention and control in schools, while decisively moving all courses online to support online teaching and learning for 300 million users. Huai added that from last autumn semester, all schools across the country have reopened.

Huai stressed in his concluding remarks that China was striving to build a high quality education system to provide better and more equal education for all its people. China would work with other countries in implementing the Education 2030 Agenda, moving towards a community of shared future for mankind.

Participants of the meeting included: Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO; Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education; Emmanuel Macron, President of France; Sahle-Work Zewde, President of Ethiopia and Chair of the International Commission on the Futures of Education; heads of states and governments of Namibia, Tunisia, Argentina, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Servia, Greece, and Haiti; ministers of education from over 30 countries; and heads of relevant international organizations.