CNS:

I am particularly interested in the issue of changes to the demographic structure and the allocation of educational resources. What are the MOE's considerations on the establishment of mechanisms for aligning the supply of basic public education services with demographic changes? Thank you.

Huai Jinpeng:

This is a question that has attracted much interest. I would like to invite Mr. Wang to answer it.

Wang Guangyan:

Thank you for your question. The question you raised is a very important, as a great matter related to improving the quality of public education services. We all know that Chinese modernization involves a huge population, and the national program for strengthening education is a strategic undertaking for achieving high-quality population development.

This is therefore a key priority for us as we work towards that goal. The MOE faithfully implements the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee, and comprehensively analyzes and assesses the future changing trends in the school-age population, adhering to a holistic approach and a full range of steps to continuously improve the mechanism for allocating and distributing educational resources in coordination with demographic changes. The main considerations are specifically as follows: 

Regarding preschool education, the school-age population continues to decline. The main challenge in resource allocation is a structural imbalance, including limited inclusive preschool education resources especially limited public education resources in urban areas, and weak condition of preschool education in rural areas. We will make efforts to optimize the distribution of inclusive resources, solidly increase the supply of public education resources, and strengthen the competency of teachers, promoting universal access and inclusive development of preschool education.

Regarding compulsory education, primary school enrollment peaked around 2023, while junior high school enrollment continues to increase. The main challenge in resource allocation is "crowded conditions in urban schools and weaknesses in rural schools." Limited access to education in some urban areas exists along with relatively abundant resources in rural areas. Going forward, we will further improve the distribution of schools in urban areas, expand the supply of access to education in areas that have net population inflows, improve conditions and management in boarding schools, step up the development of small-scale schools in villages, strengthen standardized construction of compulsory-education schools, promote the coordinated deployment and exchange of outstanding principals and backbone teachers within regions, and facilitate the sharing of excellent education resources through the digitalization of education. Just now, Mr. Huai mentioned the issues in implementing the digital education strategy. We should fully implement this important strategy, promoting high-quality, balanced development and urban-rural integration.

Regarding high school education, when deploying resources, we should put the same emphasis on new construction as maximizing the use of existing facilities in accordance with the changing trends of the school-age population. We should properly balance the significant pressure before the peak in high school student population and the relatively easing of pressure afterward. We will moderately increase budgetary spending on education, and guide and support local governments to coordinate and improve the distribution of regular senior high schools and secondary vocational schools. In regions with weak educational infrastructure, or that have concentrated population inflows, a batch of high schools will be built, expanded or remodeled. Through these efforts, we aim to ensure the success of comprehensive high schools and promote the diversified development of high schools. Meanwhile, we encourage local governments to strengthen overall management, and smooth the flow of educational resources at all stages of schooling according to local conditions, which are the key areas of the future education resource allocation.  

Regarding higher education, it is projected that the school-age population will continue to increase until 2032. At present, solid progress has been made in universal access to high-school education in China. As Mr. Huai mentioned, the gross enrollment ratio for higher education has exceeded 60% and we have moved into a phase of universal access to high-school education. Demand for degree programs will continue to increase in the future. We will extend and increase higher education resources through multiple approaches such as tapping into potential for expanding or remodeling existing higher education institutions, or setting up new ones, ensuring access to education. At the same time, we will support expanding educational capacity for the development of world-class universities and strong disciplines. We will set up several new advanced-level research universities and encourage first-rate foreign universities in science and engineering to develop partner schools and programs in China, expanding the supply of high-quality resources. We will continue to implement the national program for setting an enrollment quota for students from central and western regions, and the special initiative for setting an enrollment quota for key universities enrolling students from rural areas and areas that have shaken off poverty, better promoting equitable access to education.

That is all from me. Thank you.