I can’t attest to the accuracy of this post making the rounds on Chinese social media. It purports to summarize reforms proposed by Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng, who took office in Aug. Rumors of major changes have been abroad a while but this would be quite extreme. 1/N
Huai was formerly president of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, vice-minister of the MIIT, deputy secretary of the Tianjin Municipal Committee, and secretary of the Party Group of the Chinese Association for Science and Technology. 2/N
Right up top is a new emphasis on physical education, meant to combat “the phenomenon of feminization of boys,” (heteronormative much?) stressing major ball sports. It also calls for the construction of more sports facilities in communities. 3/N
The next one would be huge. Compulsory education would be shifted to end with two years of high school, with foreshortened elementary school (4 years from 6), and eliminating pre-kindergarten (小升初, not sure what that means). 4/N
It calls for much earlier tracking and toward one of three types of high school: specialized, general, and vocational. The aim is to create students adapted to “social survival” and work after high school. 5/N
All current technical high schools will be demoted (下放為) to vocational high schools, and the current practice of awarding senior technician certificates to students still in school will be stopped. 6/N
Another big one: university reform. Over one-third of universities will be transformed to engineering or “high-level blue-collar universities” (高级蓝领大学), focused on training of senior technical workers, to lay the foundation for the 4th Industrial Revolution. 7/N
To quickly change the current situation of college students with “grand visions but low skills, high test scores but low abilities” and to increase society’s respect for labor and workers, and “truly realize the glory of labor and equality or all.” This is really at the core. 8/N
Emphasis on correct socialist values and worldview, allowing children to enjoy learning and reducing the burden on them, having families shoulder more of the burden, and cultivating diverse talent. 9/N
Huai has pushed a concept called “有温度的教育” (an education with warmth?) which stresses “interpersonal communication, humanistic communication, human qualities, teamwork, and especially confidence in culture and understanding of society.” 10/N
The piece ends with a quote from Huai: "In today's increasingly fierce game between major powers, the technology battle is also a battle over standards, economics, and morality.” 11/N
“We need to convince people with reason and innovation and creativity. We also need to persuade people with virtue and adhere to integrity and to ethics. We need to put people first and promote human welfare." 12/N
So I read this — again, with the caveat that I don't know whether this is "official" or comes from Huai himself — as the education component of the Red New Deal. It reflects many themes we've already seen emerge. 13/N
The thrust is to restore dignity to technical education, to labor and to manufacturing. China clearly wants to avoid a hollowing out of manufacturing, to preserve process knowledge. The underlying belief is that innovation and manufacturing are inextricably linked. 14/N
It's not clear to me whether all three types of high schools will continue to be three year (10th through 12th), or whether the vocational will only be two years. I would appreciate any clarification! 15/N END (for now)
PS: Let me reiterate that this is NOT an official post. In fact on higher-visibility platforms like Sohu, the piece seems already to have been deleted. I have doubts especially about specific policy proposals, though much of this does accord with things Huai has said publicly.
