At a press conference on the morning of March 1, the Ministry of Education (MOE) provided an overview of the progress made in China’s education sector in 2023. Guo Peng, Director of the Department of Development Planning, went into detail about the main highlights. Guo expressed his appreciation for the direction of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, stating that the MOE remained dedicated to strengthening China’s education system and enhancing its overall quality.

I. Overview

In 2023, China had 498,300 schools of all levels and types, 20,200 fewer than the previous year, representing a 3.9% decrease. In total, 291 million students enrolled in all levels and types of educational institutions, a decrease of 1,512,600, or 0.52%, from the previous year. China had 18,917,800 full-time teachers, marking an increase of 114,200, or 0.6%, from the previous year.

II. Preschool education

In 2023, preschool education exceeded the established target with a 91.1% gross enrollment rate, showing an increase of 1.4 percentage points over the previous year.

There were 274,400 kindergartens nationwide. Affordable kindergartens, totaling 236,400, accounted for 86.16% of all kindergartens in the country. Preschool enrollment reached 40,929,800 children. In total, 37,170,100 children were enrolled in affordable kindergartens, accounting for 90.81% of all preschoolers nationwide, marking a 1.26 percentage point increase from the previous year.

The number of full-time teachers in preschool education reached 3,073,700 nationwide, bringing the student-teacher ratio to 13.32:1, which showed progress compared to the previous year. The percentage of full-time teachers who met the qualifications was 99.57%, marking an increase of 0.18 percentage points over the previous year. 92.74% of the teachers had a degree education, making an increase of 2.44 percentage points over the previous year.

III. Compulsory education

In 2023, nine-year compulsory education had a consolidation rate of 95.7%, up 0.2 percentage points from the previous year.

(I) Primary school 

Across the country, there were 143,500 regular primary schools. The total number of primary school students reached 18,778,800, marking a growth of 1,765,000 from the previous year, representing a 10.37% increase. An impressive 108 million students were enrolled, showing an increase of 1,039,700, or 0.97%, from the previous year. 

The number of full-time primary school teachers nationwide reached 6,656,300, up 26,800 from the previous year. 99.99% of them met the required qualifications. 92.74% of them had completed at least four years of college, a 3.5 percentage point increase from the previous year.

There were 904 million square meters of primary school buildings nationwide, which marked an increase of 14,894,400 square meters from the previous year.  Nationwide, almost all primary schools had standardized facilities and equipment for physical education, music, art, and mathematics experiments, with percentages ranging from 94.26% to 97.44%. All ratios saw an increase from the previous year. 

(II) Junior high school

The number of junior high schools nationwide reached 52,300.  The enrollment of junior high schools nationwide was 17,546,300, which was 232,500 higher than the previous year, an increase of 1.34%. The number of students in school was 52,436,900, an increase of 1,231,000 over the previous year, or 2.4%. 

There were a total of 4,083,100 full-time teachers in junior high school education nationwide, which was an increase of 57,900 compared to the previous year. 99.96% them met the qualifications, a slight rise of 0.02 percentage points over the previous year. 93.09% were holders of a bachelor’s degree or higher, an increase of 1.38 percentage points over the previous year.

The combined area of school buildings in junior high schools nationwide reached 815 million square meters, marking a 28,774,900 square meter growth from the previous year. The vast majority of junior high schools across the country were equipped with standard facilities and equipment, with rates of 95.94% for sports fields (halls), 98.16% for sports equipment, 97.93% for music equipment, 97.95% for art equipment, and 97.68% for science laboratory instruments. With the exception of the instruments in the science laboratory, all other categories have shown an increase in percentage compared to the previous year.

IV. Senior high school

In 2023, the gross enrollment rate at the senior high school level was 91.8%, 0.2 percentage points higher than the previous year. 

(I) Regular senior high school

There were 15,400 regular senior high schools nationwide, an increase of 355 from the previous year. Enrollment stood at 9.678 million students, up 202,600 students, or 2.14%, from the previous year. The number of students in school was 28,036,300, an increase of 897,500 students, or 3.31%, from the previous year.

The number of full-time teachers in regular senior high schools reached 2,214,800, marking an 81,600 increase from the previous year and resulting in a student-teacher ratio of 12.66:1. In terms of teacher qualification, 99.2% had a four-year college education, marking an increase of 0.17 percentage points over the previous year. 14.01% of them are holders of postgraduate degrees, an increase of 0.93 percentage points over the previous year.

Nationwide, regular senior high schools had a combined total of 709 million square meters of school buildings, marking an increase of 29,135,500 square meters from the previous year. The level of adequacy for facilities and equipment in schools was high, with percentages of 95.01%, 97.11%, 96.57%, 96.67%, and 96.85% for sports fields (halls), sports equipment, music equipment, art equipment, and science laboratory instruments, respectively. All ratios saw an increase from the previous year.

(II) Secondary vocational education

There were a total of 7,085 secondary vocational education schools nationwide (excluding technical schools managed by human resources and social services departments), with an enrollment of 4,540,400 students and 12,984,600 students. 

The number of full-time teachers in secondary vocational education increased by 16,500 from the previous year, to a total of 734,800. This resulted in a student-teacher ratio of 17.67:1, demonstrating a positive improvement from the previous year. 95.69% of them were academically qualified, marking an increase of 0.83 percentage points over the previous year. 9.41% of them are holders of postgraduate degrees, an increase of 0.5 percentage points over the previous year.  56.71% of the teachers had industry experience, marking a 0.53 percentage point increase from the previous year.

Secondary vocational schools nationwide saw a rise in building area by 27,118,300 square meters, bringing the total to 302 million square meters. The average school building space per student saw a 13.31% boost from the previous year, reaching 23.28 square meters. Per student instruments and equipment saw an 11.38% growth in value, reaching RMB 9,471.91, surpassing the previous year’s figures. 

V. Higher education

Higher education saw a rise in enrollment in 2023, with a gross enrollment rate of 60.2%, surpassing the set target. 

The number of higher education institutions across the nation reached a total of 3,074, marking a growth of 61 compared to the previous year. Among them, there were 1,242 regular undergraduate schools, including 164 independently run colleges, 33 undergraduate vocational schools, 1,547 three-year vocational colleges, and 252 adult higher education institutions. There were also 233 academic research institutions for postgraduate students.

The total number of students enrolled in all forms of higher education was 47,631,900, an increase of 1,081,100, or 2.32%, over the previous year.  

In total, 10,422,200 students were enrolled in regular and vocational undergraduate programs nationwide, an increase of 2.73% over the previous year. Among them, regular undergraduate enrollment was 4,781,600, an increase of 2.19% over the previous year. Undergraduate-level vocational enrollment reached 89,900 students, an increase of 17.82% over the previous year. Three-year vocational colleges had an enrollment of 5,550,700 people, marking a 2.99% increase from the previous year. A total of 4,454,900 individuals were enrolled in adult undergraduate programs nationwide, an increase of 1.24% over the previous year. In total, 10,082,300 students were enrolled in these programs, an increase of 7.99% over the previous year. A total of 1,634,200 learners were enrolled in online undergraduate programs, while 7,399,700 students were already attending such programs.

A total of 1,317,700 graduate students were enrolled nationwide, an increase of 4.76% over the previous year. Among them, 153,300 were enrolled as doctoral candidates, marking a 10.29% increase over the previous year; and 1,148,400 as master’s students, reflecting a 4.07% increase over the previous year. 3,882,900 graduate students were in school, an increase of 6.28% over the previous year. Among them, 612,500 students were studying for doctoral degrees, reflecting a 10.14% increase over the previous year. Additionally, 3,270,500 students were studying for master's degrees, indicating a 5.59% increase over the previous year.

There were a total of 2,074,900 full-time teachers in higher education nationwide, an increase of 97,100 or 4.91% over the previous year. Among them, there were 1,345,500 in regular undergraduate schools; 30,800 in undergraduate-level vocational schools; 684,600 in three-year vocational colleges; and 14,100 in adult colleges and universities. 

The proportion of teachers with graduate degrees or above in regular and vocational colleges and universities was 79.14%, an increase of 0.6 percentage points over the previous year. Regular and vocational colleges and universities made progress in their student-teacher ratio, which now stood at 17.98:1. This includes a ratio of 17.51:1 in regular undergraduate programs, 17.57:1 in undergraduate-level vocational schools, and 18.92:1 in three-year vocational colleges.

In the past year, the combined building area of regular and vocational colleges and universities saw a significant increase of 58,146,400 square meters, reaching a total of  118,900,000 square meters. The floor area per student in regular and vocational colleges and universities was 56.82 square meters. The floor area per student in school buildings was 28.26 square meters, and the value of teaching and research instruments and equipment per student was RMB 18.6 million.

VI. Special education

In 2023, there were a total of 2,345 special education schools nationwide, marking an increase of 31 schools or 1.34% from the previous year. In total, 155,000 students were enrolled in various forms of special education nationwide, an increase of 8,720 over the previous year. Special education institutions across the country had a total of 912,000 students, with 341,200 (37.42%) in special education schools and 570,800 (62.58%) in other schools.

There were 77,000 full-time special education teachers nationwide, an increase of 5.91% over the previous year.

VII. Private education

In 2023, there were 167,200 private educaitonal institutions of all levels and types across the country, accounting for 33.54% of the total number of schools. 49,395,300 students were enrolled, accounting for 16.96% of the total number of students nationwide. 

There were 149,500 privately run kindergartens with a total enrollment of 17,916,200 children. 

There were 10,100 private compulsory education schools with 12,219,900 students enrolled, including 6,094,600 receiving government funding. 

The number of private regular senior high schools stood at 4,567, enrolling a total of 5,477,600 students. 

There were 2,128 privately-run secondary vocational schools (excluding technical schools), with a total of 2,664,400 students enrolled. 

There were 789 private colleges and universities, including 391 regular undergraduate schools, 22 undergraduate-level vocational schools, 374 three-year vocational colleges, and 2 adult colleges. Enrollment in these higher education institutions reached a record high of 9,943,800 students.

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Following the release of information, journalists inquired about the statistics. Here are the highlights from the Q&A session.

CCTV correspondent:

You just mentioned that the gross enrollment rate of higher education exceeded 60% in 2023, marking an improvement over 2022. As enrollment continues to expand, what are the next steps for optimizing the structure of higher education, in order to produce high-cablibre future workers?

Guo Peng, Director-General of the Department of Development Planning, MOE

Thank you for your question. As President Xi Jinping instructed at a recent meeting, our education system must focus on enhancing the overall quality of human resources to support China’s modernization efforts. The MOE, in collaboration with the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance, is committed to aligning educational initiatives with the evolving needs of economic and social development. Our shared goal is to be responsive to the aspirations of the general public by expanding access to high-quality higher education resources and extending the duration of education for all. The recent achievement of a gross enrollment rate in higher education exceeding 60% is a significant step forward in developing high-quality human resources.

I want to underscore the significance of examining the depth and structure of talent development, while expanding the scale of higher education, particularly for nurturing high-calibre future workforce. Our focus is on several critical areas: 

Firstly, we are committed to continuously expanding the scope of graduate-level education. Based on our vision of establishing a strong education system by 2035 and recognizing the link between education, science, and human resource development, we make graduate education policies by taking into account economic and social trends, national strategic imperatives, demographic shifts, and the natural dynamics of higher education. In recent years, the number of graduate students, particularly doctoral candidates, has steadily increased, laying the groundwork for high-quality economic development.

Secondly, we are constantly improving the structure of education to better prepare the best minds for future jobs. We are committed to developing both academic and innovation-focused talent by enhancing the enrollment opportunities for graduate students pursuing vocational degrees in applied fields, such as engineering and technology. In 2023, nearly 60% of students enrolled in vocational degree programs. In response to the changing technology landscape, we are assisting universities in enhancing their disciplinary structures, increasing their investment in developing STEM talent, and accelerating the training of innovators in science and technology. In 2023, the enrollment in master’s programs in science, engineering, agriculture, and medicine reached 60%, while doctoral enrollment exceeded 80%.

Thirdly, we are continuously expanding our talent pool in key science and technology sectors. We are committed to creating high-quality talent centers and innovation hubs, as well as expanding graduate education in core disciplines and strategically important areas. We are also improving the link between science and education, fostering collaborations between leading academic institutions and research organizations, and promoting innovation in important scientific projects to enhance the technological independence of our nation.

Moving forward, we will put more energy into cultivating top talent by enhancing the scope, organization, and caliber of higher education. The goal is to provide essential and strategic support for China’s modernization drive.

Xinhua correspondent:

As I just learned from the press conference, the 2023 compulsory education consolidation rate was 95.7 percent, slightly higher than in 2022. In June 2023, The General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the Opinions on Building a Quality and Balanced Basic Public Education Service System, which emphasizes the importance of ensuring the quality and balanced development of compulsory education. What progress have we made in this area?

Ma Jiabin, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Basic Education, MOE

Thank you for your question, and we appreciate your interest in China’s compulsory education.

Accelerating the development of high-quality and equitable compulsory education to meet the expectations of the general public seeking better education is a priority for us now and in the foreseeable future. In 2023, the MOE system implemented the decisions and directives of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, focusing on six key areas to promote high-quality and equitable development of compulsory education.

Firstly, we overhauled the policy framework and implemented educational policies across the board. The Opinions on Building a Quality and Balanced Basic Public Education Service System, as you just mentioned, aimed to improve policies and measures for developing high-quality and equitable compulsory education at the county level. This includes reducing education disparities between regions, urban and rural areas, schools, and different groups. In August 2023, the MOE, in collaboration with the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance, introduced the Opinions on Implementing the Action Plan for Enhancing and Improving Basic Education in the New Era, and took steps to improve the quality of compulsory education. In November, the MOE organized the National Symposium on Improving the Quality and Equitable Development of Compulsory Education, refining the tasks and requirements.

Secondly, we’re committed to producing well-rounded individuals, with a focus on fostering their moral character. We reformed the leadership structure of primary and secondary schools, with 78.2% of them adopting a principal responsibility system led by Party organizations. We continued with the reform of morality and integrity education, consistently organizing themed activities such as the “First Lesson of the School Year: Learn and Behave”, to instill a strong sense of responsibility in our students from an early age. Guided by the concept of developing well-rounded students, we continued to enhance their academic and physical education, appreciation for aesthetics, and enthusiasm for engaging in physical labor. In 2023, 81.6% of primary and secondary schools nationwide implemented a physical labor education checklist, and 147,000 locations for training students in manual skills were designated both inside and outside of the campus.

Thirdly, we increased investment to improve school infrastructure. In 2023, the central government invested nearly RMB 40 billion in implementing major projects, such as addressing gaps in compulsory education. The construction of primary and secondary schools became more standardized, with significant improvements in school building size and the provision of facilities and equipment. The central government has raised the minimum public expenditure per student for compulsory education schools. The annual public expenditure per student for primary schools has increased from 650 yuan to 720 yuan, and for junior high schools from 850 yuan to 940 yuan. This has helped schools further reduce students’ academic burdens and improve after-school tutorial services.

Fourthly, we expanded the distribution of high-quality resources to improve the educational quality of underperforming schools. Local education authorities have taken several steps, including expanding the enrollment capacity of high-quality schools, promoting the orderly rotation of outstanding principals and teachers, and establishing school groups and partnerships between urban and rural schools. Through these efforts, we have been able to accelerate the development of new, high-quality schools close to the communities they serve. According to preliminary statistics, in 2023, China added 1,736 high-quality schools in compulsory education, creating an extra 1.999 million high-quality school spots to accommodate students. Nationwide, there were 16,000 education groups and 15,000 urban-rural school partnerships at the compulsory education stage.

Fifthly, we deepened comprehensive reforms to improve educational quality. We implemented the Action Plan for Deeping Curriculum and Teaching Reforms, to ensure that students receive a comprehensive and high-quality education. Local authorities and schools were guided to optimize teaching methods and create efficient learning environments. Great efforts were made to promote best national teaching practices, with 73 teaching outcomes being implemented in 60 demonstration zones for replication. We also strengthened the development and use of the National Smart Education Platform for primary and secondary schools. The platform currently has ten categories of resources across 53 columns, totaling 88,000 items. It has greatly promoted the sharing of high-quality educational resources nationwide.

Lastly, we paid attention to special groups as part of efforts to promote educational equity. We guided local educational authorities to strengthen their analysis of the peak enrollment situation in primary schools. By building new schools and upgrading or expanding existing ones, we added 4.892 million public school openings for students, effectively ensuring the enrollment of 18.78 million new first-graders in primary schools. The percentage of children of migrant workers attending public schools (including government-funded school openings) exceeded 95%. We continued to implement the Nutrition Improvement Program for Rural Students and further increased the level of assistance for students from economically disadvantaged households, ensuring that every student from these families could enroll and study with peace of mind.

Cover News correspondent:

Earlier, we learned from the statistical data that in 2023, the number of vocational colleges and enrollment scale increased compared to the previous year. This reflects the high demand for skilled workers trained through vocational education to support local economic and social development. Could you please introduce the measures taken by the vocational education system to support regional economic development and industrial transformation and upgrading?

Li Yingli, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Vocational and Adult Education, MOE:

Thank you for your question. As we all know, vocational education is integral to our economic and social progress, and it plays a pivotal role in nurturing technical talent essential for social and economic development. In 2023, we had 1,547 vocational colleges across the country, marking an increase of 58 compared to the previous year, reflecting the enthusiasm of various regions to develop vocational education. Enrollment also saw a rise to 5.55 million students, with 684,600 full-time teachers, an increase of 40,900 over the preceding year. In recent years, we’ve accelerated the reform of our modern vocational education system. We’ve built a training model that integrates industry and education, and we’ve guided vocational schools to focus on strategically important majors and take part in regional economic and social development. In doing so, we’re providing the skilled workers needed to support new industrialization initiatives and drive our economy forward.

Firstly, we’re piloting innovative models for modern vocational education systems at the provincial level. In 2023, a collaboration between the MOE and provincial governments led to the establishment of mechanisms to effectively leverage vocational education for regional economic development. Customized strategies were implemented in regions such as Tianjin, Guangxi, Shandong, Xinjiang, Heilongjiang, Zhejiang, Chongqing, and Hunan. This has greatly stimulated the ownership and initiative of local governments to develop vocational education, significantly enhancing their ability to serve the economic and social needs of their respective regions.

Secondly, we brought together key stakeholders in a collaborative framework at the city level, to bolster the integration of vocational education with local industries. We developed innovative approaches to improve the collaboration between industry and education resources. New industry-education alliances were created and implemented in prefecture-level cities that boast thriving industrial sectors and a high demand for skilled professionals. A council, comprising representatives from government departments, businesses, educational institutions, and research organizations, was formed to oversee the implementation of these partnerships.   

Thirdly, we are focusing on creating industry-education consortia to strengthen the link between vocational education and industrial development. The MOE is supporting the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation to establish a national industry-education consortium for rail transit equipment. By directly engaging with the industry and identifying the essential technological and skilled talent needs of businesses, this consortium has begun to play a role in developing skilled professionals. The MOE is working on building cross-regional industry-education consortia in key national industries such as high-end CNC machine tools, shipbuilding, and marine engineering equipment. These consortia aim to train a sufficient number of highly skilled workers with a balanced structure and quality, contributing to the goal of developing a robust manufacturing nation and promoting a new phase of industrialization.

Fourthly, we have introduced more manufacturing-related majors in vocational education. Currently, the vocational education majors catalog includes 1,394 majors, covering various fields of the economy. Among these, 515 majors are related to manufacturing, accounting for 37% of the total. In 2023, more than 6,500 vocational schools nationwide set up approximately manufacturing-related 52,000 programs. The MOE is focusing on the development trends in the manufacturing industry, particularly in the areas of high-end, intelligent, and green manufacturing. Each year, priority is given to adding new majors in advanced manufacturing. In 2023, new majors such as High-Speed Railway Communication Technology were introduced to enhance the capacity of vocational education to support manufacturing. 

Fifthly, we’re supporting the development of the digital economy by improving our learners’ digital literacy. In 2023, over 6,000 vocational schools nationwide established majors related to the digital economy, offering more than 25,000 programs. We systematically upgraded 363 traditional majors, such as accounting and hotel management and introduced 314 new majors in the field of the digital economy, such as intelligent connected vehicle technology. We also created courses and materials to guarantee high-quality educational resources for a new generation of learners.

We appreciate your long-standing support and interest in China’s vocational education.

Southern Metropolis Daily correspondent:

According to the press conference, the total number of students enrolled in higher education nationwide has reached 47,631,900. With this sheer scale of enrollment in higher education, ensuring the quality of education and producing high-caliber graduates must be a challenge. In recent years, the MOE has made efforts to promote new and interdisciplinary areas of study, such as engineering, medical science, agricultural science and liberal arts. What is the latest progress in these fields?

Gao Dongfeng, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Higher Education, MOE

Thank you for your question and for your interest in and support for China’s higher education.

In recent years, the higher education sector has actively served the needs of our nation’s strategic goals, by initiating proactive reforms in line with the important directives on higher education from President Xi, as well as decisions by the Party Central Committee and the State Council. Our focus remains on building new productive forces, by introducing new majors and promoting cross-disciplinary integration.  We’ve systematically advanced the introduction of new engineering, medical, agricultural, and liberal arts disciplines. We’re transforming strategies into goals and implementing goals into measures. We have achieved a series of breakthroughs in the organizational models, training mechanisms, content generation and teaching methods. These efforts represent a comprehensive effort to modernize and enhance the quality of higher education well suited to China’s unique cultural, social, and economic context.

Firstly, we are driving significant reforms in our education system to better prepare our workforce for the future. Our emphasis on strategic emerging fields like AI, semiconductors, quantum science, healthcare, and energy has led to the establishment of specialized colleges and programs, including 12 future-proof tech institutes, 50 modern industry-focused colleges, 33 centers of excellence in software engineering, 28 microelectronics colleges, and 18 high-level public health colleges. These initiatives are transforming the way we teach and learn, allowing us to provide targeted, high-quality education.

Secondly, We are breaking down the barriers between academic disciplines, industry, and research to create a more dynamic and innovative education ecosystem. By collaborating with key stakeholders, we have set up 45 national innovation hubs that bring together the best minds from academia and industry to tackle pressing challenges in fields like chip design, clean energy, biotech, medical research, and AI. These hubs have already taken on over 1,100 projects of national significance, driving cutting-edge research and development. Moreover, we are doubling down on our efforts to foster deep partnerships between universities and businesses. By focusing on critical areas like sustainability, digital transformation, and quantum computing, we are creating powerful clusters of expertise and innovation.

Thirdly, we’re focusing on cultivating top-notch innovative talent in fundamental disciplines. Across 77 of our leading universities, we have established nearly 300 specialized programs dedicated to cultivating the brightest minds in these critical disciplines. We have launched an ambitious International Summer School Program. This initiative has already seen 46 of our top universities host 112 summer schools, bringing together over 1,300 leading scholars from around the world to teach more than 1,100 courses. These summer schools have provided unparalleled opportunities for over 31,000 students to engage in cross-cultural exchanges and intellectual discourse. In addition, we are undertaking a comprehensive effort to strengthen the core components of our basic disciplines through the “101 Plan.” This initiative spans nine key fields, from computer science and mathematics to medicine and economics. We have developed a curriculum structure of 12 core courses, authored 21 state-of-the-art textbooks, and established a practice platform encompassing over 400 projects.

Lastly, we are increasing our investments in fostering students’ innovation. Just last year, we hosted a major international innovation competition that drew an astonishing level of participation – 4.21 million projects and 17.09 million students from 5,296 schools across 151 countries and territories. We’re also implementing a national-level program for college student innovation training, with 41,956 projects approved in 2023 involving 178,090 students and over 50,000 faculty members.

As we look to the future, our mission is clear - to build a world-class education system that powers the growth and prosperity of our nation. Our strategy is threefold: First, we will create a seamless loop of education, research, and talent development, ensuring that our universities are at the cutting edge of scientific and technological advancement. Second, we will focus on tackling the most pressing challenges facing our society, from plugging skills gaps to pioneering new fields of study. And third, we will double down on our efforts to cultivate top-tier talent across the disciplines of engineering, medicine, agriculture, and the liberal arts. We also recognize the transformative potential of emerging technologies like AI. That’s why we’re building a new ecosystem that combines the best of AI and education, creating powerful tools for personalized learning, adaptive assessment, and intelligent tutoring. Our goal is to provide talent support for overcoming bottlenecks and leading China’s modernization efforts.

China Youth Daily correspondent:

According to the newly released statistics, the size of China’s teaching workforce has exceeded 18.91 million, and the MOE just launched a nationwide lecture tour on educational values two days ago. What additional measures are the MOE taking to promote and instill the values of great educators?

Huang Xiaohua, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Teacher Education, MOE

Last year, President Xi used the occasion of Teachers’ Day to highlight a concept that is truly unique to our nation - the values of great educators. This was a powerful acknowledgment of the countless teachers across our country who dedicate their lives to shaping young minds and hearts, and tirelessly working to help every student reach their full potential.  But the President's words were more than just a compliment - they were a call to action. He challenged us to embrace the values of great educators as a guiding light for a new generation of teachers, and to make that spirit a living, breathing part of our education system. We have launched a multi-pronged effort to promote and cultivate the ethos of great educators at every level, including media campaigns, expert discussions, and a series of engaging micro-videos titled "My Vision of the Values of Educators.  We also initiated the “Go to Visit Your Teacher” campaign during the Spring Festival, encouraging people to take a moment to reconnect with the teachers who made a difference in their lives.

Just two days ago, we launched a nationwide tour celebrating the spirit of great educators. We brought together 25 of our most outstanding teachers from across the country - individuals who have been recognized as role models for their dedication to teaching and nurturing the next generation. The tour started with an event in our capital city. During this event, each of these exceptional teachers took the stage to share their own stories, insights, and thoughts on what being a great educator means to them. The audience response was overwhelming. They were inspired by the passion and wisdom of these incredible educators.

In the coming months and years, we’re going to be doubling down on our efforts to make sure that every teacher in the country is inspired and empowered by this powerful idea. First and foremost we’re going to issue a formal document that lays out our vision for building a teaching force that embodies the spirit of great educators. Our lecture tour will be visiting a dozen provinces, from Heilongjiang in the north to Xinjiang in the west, bringing together some of our most inspiring educators to share their stories and strategies. These lectures will be broadcast live online. We’ll be inviting experts, scholars, administrators, and teachers themselves to share their own experiences and insights, and to highlight the innovative ways that they’re already putting the spirit of great educators into practice in their own schools and communities. But we know that inspiration is just the beginning - we also need to give teachers the tools and resources they need to turn that inspiration into action. We’re going to integrate the values of great educators into every aspect of teacher training and professional development, from pre-service courses to ongoing workshops and seminars. We’re going to be celebrating and elevating the teachers who are already leading the way. Each month, we'll be selecting one or two outstanding principals or teachers who embody the spirit of great educators, and we'll be giving them the recognition and platform they deserve to share their stories and inspire others. Finally, we’re going to be partnering with the entertainment industry to create compelling documentaries, films, and television programs that showcase the incredible work that teachers are doing every day.

In conclusion, by promoting and embodying the values of great educators, we seek to inspire teachers nationwide to continue their invaluable contributions to building a robust education system and nurturing a culture of respect and admiration for educators in our society.