Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng delivered a keynote speech at the main forum of the World Congress on Vocational and Technical Education Development in Tianjin on Aug. 19. The speech focused on cooperatively promoting the high-quality development of global vocational education to help build a better post-COVID-19 world.

Huai said the Chinese government has always attached great importance to vocational education, which is very closely tied to economic and social development. He noted the historic transformation of China’s vocational education from being run mainly by schools to being run by a diverse group of participants, as well as its new focus on high-quality, substantive growth in place of a previous emphasis on the scale of growth. In addition, he praised vocational education for contributing to the nation’s economic growth and social progress.

The minister pointed out that vocational education in China and across the world faces new challenges and opportunities, due to the rapid progress of a new technological revolution, profound changes in industrial, economic, social and demographic structures, as well as disruptions caused by COVID-19. In addition to urging further international exchange across education, industry and all other relevant economic and social sectors, he emphasized that vocational education should be people-oriented, inclusive, and aligned with social and economic priorities.

He stressed that China will place vocational education in a more prominent position with a new round of government-led, participatory, demand-driven, open and integrated educational reforms. Specifically, he said that vocational education in China will be further tailored to evolving social and economic dynamics. New institutional mechanisms and safeguards will be established to enhance education-industry alliances, harness the power of digitalization, and raise social awareness and recognition of vocational education as an effective means of developing practical skills.