The '15th Five-Year Plan' for Education Development has been issued by the State Council. The plan is formulated in accordance with the Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Outline for Building a Leading Country in Education (2024–2035), with the goal of accelerating the building of a leading country in education.
The plan sets the target for 2030: significant results in building a leading country in education and the basic establishment of a high-quality education system. By then, the system and working mechanism for the Party's overall leadership over education will be more complete, moral education will yield more notable results, people's sense of educational fulfillment will be strengthened, education will provide stronger support for science and technology and talent, a learning society will be basically formed, and China's international influence, competitiveness, and discourse power in education will be significantly enhanced.
The plan implements strategic tasks from multiple dimensions. In moral education, it requires high-quality implementation of the New-Era Moral Education Project, promotes the alignment of ideological and political courses with course-based ideological education, fully rolls out new-era practical education courses, and establishes a national conditions study system for primary and secondary schools. The plan will comprehensively implement the new-era ideological and political course program for colleges and universities and accelerate the improvement of the curriculum and teaching materials system centered on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The construction of an independent knowledge system for philosophy and social sciences is on the agenda, including in-depth implementation of major special projects for research on Xi Jinping Thought. Healthy school construction is emphasized, with the student physical fitness enhancement plan requiring primary and secondary school students to have at least 2 hours of comprehensive physical activity per day and introducing a '15-minute break between classes'. In terms of student ability, AI education will be promoted across all educational stages to enhance students' AI literacy.
To strengthen education's support for science and technology and talent, the plan proposes advancing a new round of 'Double First-Class' construction, moderately expanding its scope with a focus on interdisciplinary studies and industry-education integration. It will launch the 'Double Excellence' construction for high-level applied undergraduate universities, supporting the development of universities that serve regional economic and social development. The construction of 'New Double High' in vocational education will be accelerated, with a steady increase in the number of vocational undergraduate schools and enrollment expansion. Interdisciplinary integration will be vigorously promoted, with the launch of the National Interdisciplinary Center construction. The independent innovation capability of universities in science and technology will be enhanced, including organizing universities to undertake major national science and technology tasks. The cultivation of top-tier innovative talent will be intensified, with the exploration of 'PhD+Master's' dual degree programs.
In terms of public education services, preschool education will increase the proportion of public kindergarten slots and bring public kindergarten teachers' salaries under fiscal guarantee. Compulsory education will promote high-quality and balanced development and explore extending the duration of compulsory education. Upper secondary schools will expand the supply of regular senior high school slots and promote the revitalization of regular senior high schools in county areas. The right to education for special groups is protected, with migrant children entitled to equal rights in compulsory education as local residents. Graduate employment is included in the plan, with actions to expand employment and improve quality. Lifelong learning public services will be optimized, with the acceleration of credit bank construction and the development of the National Open University for the Elderly and the National Digital University.
The teacher workforce development section includes the implementation of the Educator Spirit Cultivation Action, the building of a high-quality development system, and the strengthening of benefit and rights protection. A 'zero tolerance' policy on teacher ethics violations is upheld, the reform of teacher title systems continues, and a long-term linkage mechanism for primary and secondary school teacher salaries will be improved.
In international openness, the plan supports high-level research universities in initiating or participating in international big science programs and encourages world-class science and engineering universities to establish cooperative programs in China. The 'Study in China' brand will be strengthened, and participation in global education governance will be enhanced through deepened cooperation with international organizations.
The plan also makes arrangements for educational resource layout and reforms. To adapt to changes in the school-age population, a prediction and early warning mechanism will be established, and educational resource supply will be expanded in net inflow urban areas. The undergraduate enrollment of 'Double First-Class' universities is planned to increase by over 100,000. Regionally, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area are supported to become world-class regional higher education centers. In talent cultivation layout, the link between employment status and enrollment plans will be strengthened, and a red and yellow card warning system for graduate employment will be implemented. Comprehensive reforms include education evaluation and digital transformation, with the 'AI+Education' action to be advanced, and government fiscal expenditure on education will be guaranteed to account for more than 4% of GDP.