The Ministry of Education (MOE) convened a consultation meeting with the Yunnan Provincial Government on September 11 in Kunming, the provincial capital, alongside a symposium commemorating the tenth anniversary of targeted assistance to Yunnan by higher education institutions (HEIs) directly affiliated with the MOE. Huai Jinpeng, Minister of Education, and Wang Yubo, Governor of Yunnan Province, attended the events and delivered addresses. Wang Ning, Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee, attended the consultation, while Sun Yao, Vice Minister of Education, and Zhang Zhili, Vice Governor of Yunnan Province, represented the MOE and the Yunnan Provincial Government, respectively, in signing a strategic cooperation agreement during the consultation meeting. During the symposium, representatives of participating HEIs and local government officials delivered speeches.
Acknowledging Yunnan’s consistent advances in education, Minister Huai expressed the MOE’s commitment to support the province as it leverages its strategic position and regional advantages to foster the integrated development of education, technology, and talent and adapt to socioeconomic and demographic changes. The MOE will work with the Yunnan government to enhance innovation, quality improvement and research activities in higher education. The two sides will also collaborate to reform the vocational education system and establish high-quality think tanks for the study and application of minor languages. These endeavors aim to create a regional hub that will lead in education, talent cultivation and innovation while promoting national unity and ecological development through high-quality educational services.
Huai said that HEIs directly affiliated with the MOE have achieved remarkable results over the last decade in targeted assistance programs, thus contributing to poverty alleviation and rural revitalization in Yunnan. He urged these HEIs to raise their political awareness and sense of responsibility as they engage in these targeted assistance efforts. He said the HEIs need to leverage their strengths and foster partnerships and synergies while empowering assisted areas by enhancing the areas’ initiative and self-sufficiency.
On behalf of the Yunnan government, Wang Ning expressed appreciation for the MOE’s longstanding support. He said Yunnan has greatly benefited from the MOE’s targeted assistance programs and other special assistance projects in the fight against poverty. These programs have significantly improved educational quality in impoverished areas and reduced the intergenerational transmission of poverty. Wang affirmed that the Yunnan government will further implement the three-year action plan for the high-quality development of education, increase inputs in the education sector and take follow-up measures based on the outcome of the consultation. He hoped the MOE would continue to provide support in areas such as basic education, higher education, education–industry integration, poverty reduction, as well as the development of a regional education hub with influence in South and Southeast Asia.
Speaking highly of the targeted assistance program, Wang emphasized the Yunnan government’s willingness to expand cooperation with the MOE and its directly affiliated HEIs to advance education progress and modernization in Yunnan.
On Teachers’ Day, which is celebrated September 10, Minister Huai made inspection visits to the Kunming University of Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Qujing No. 2 Elementary School, the Yunnan Vocational Institute of Energy Technology, and LONGi Silicon Materials Company. He also extended Teachers’ Day greetings to all teachers and educational workers across the country.
