China issues action plan to improve basic education

BEIJING -- China has issued an inter-agency guideline to kickstart an action plan on improving basic education in the new era, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Wednesday.

The guideline, jointly released by the MOE, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance, aims to increase the fairness and quality of the country's basic education.

The guideline focuses on deepening the supply-side reform of basic education, further expanding quality education resources, and accelerating the construction of a high-caliber basic education system, said MOE official Tian Zuyin.

By 2027, a provision and adjustment mechanism for primary, secondary school and kindergarten enrollments will be basically established in alignment with the country's new urbanization drive and demographic changes in the school-aged population, according to the guideline.

The coverage of kindergartens will be further elevated, with the ratio of government-funded kindergartens surpassing 60 percent. All counties nationwide with a population of more than 200,000 will be equipped with special education schools, and the quality of inclusive education will be substantially raised, according to the guideline.