As part of the 2024-2035 plan to build China into a leading country in education, China's Ministry of Education, along with eight other government departments, has released new guidelines aimed at accelerating education digitalization to modernize the sector and improve quality and equity.
The plan centers on the National Smart Education Platform as a hub to integrate resources across basic, vocational, higher, and lifelong education. Governments and schools are encouraged to develop high-quality digital courses and improve systems for curricula, textbooks, and teaching methods.
The guidelines also call for the rapid development of a National Education Big Data Center, with unified standards to ensure data connectivity. Systems for student enrollment, academic records, and teacher qualifications will be assimilated to support decision-making and education governance. The plan promotes the integration of artificial intelligence in education, including the development of large AI models and new "AI + Education" applications.
Additional measures include establishing a national credit bank and digital university to enhance lifelong learning, streamlining online public education services, and supporting student employment, entrepreneurship, and overseas studies. Efforts will also focus on improving digital literacy among teachers and students, and advancing digital transformation in areas such as evaluation, admissions, and resource allocation.
The initiative aims to build an inclusive, lifelong learning society and lay the foundation for a high-quality education system, supporting China's goal of becoming a global leader in education.
