Xi Jinping has issued important instructions on basic education.

2026-07-22 Source: “Study in China” Learning Platform

Xi Jinping has issued important instructions on basic education, emphasizing that…

Fully implement the Party’s educational policy and fulfill the fundamental task of fostering virtue and cultivating talent.

Continuously forging a new chapter in the high-quality development of basic education.

Ding Xuexiang attended and addressed the National Conference on Basic Education.

BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) — Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the People’s Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, recently issued important instructions on basic education, noting that since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee has treated basic education as a fundamental and pioneering undertaking, adopting a range of measures to promote its substantial development and providing strong support for building a powerful nation in education.

Xi Jinping emphasized that, on the new journey ahead, we must be guided by Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implement the Party’s educational policy, and fulfill the fundamental task of fostering virtue and cultivating talent. We must unswervingly use the Party’s innovative theories to shape minds and nurture people, cultivating socialist builders and successors who develop morally, intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and through labor in a well-rounded manner. We must follow the laws of education, put the principle of “health first” into practice, enhance the quality of teaching and learning, and promote the physical and mental well-being and all-round growth of students. We must respond to the new expectations of the people, expand and improve the quality of basic education, and firmly safeguard the bottom line of educational equity. We must carry forward the spirit of educators, strengthen teachers’ professional ethics and conduct, and cultivate a high-caliber, professionally competent teaching force. Party committees and governments at all levels must earnestly shoulder their political responsibilities, optimize the allocation of educational resources, deepen comprehensive educational reform, and ensure that schools, families, and society work in concert, continuously opening up new prospects for the high-quality development of basic education.

The National Conference on Basic Education was held in Beijing on July 22. During the conference, important instructions from Xi Jinping were conveyed. Ding Xuexiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

In his address, Ding Xuexiang pointed out that General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions are highly political, ideological, and guiding, and they have set the course for advancing basic education in the new era and on the new journey. We must study and thoroughly grasp these instructions and ensure their effective implementation.

Ding Xuexiang emphasized that in the new era, basic education has achieved historic accomplishments and undergone transformative changes. We must deeply appreciate the decisive significance of the “two establishments,” strengthen our “four consciousnesses,” firmly uphold our “four confidences,” and ensure “two safeguards.” Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we must profoundly grasp the political, people-centered, and strategic dimensions of education, adapt to the new realities of economic and social development and the evolving expectations of the people, and vigorously advance the high-quality development of basic education.

Ding Xuexiang emphasized the need to fully implement the Party’s educational policy, steadfastly use the Party’s innovative theories to shape character and cultivate talent, uphold the integrated development of moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and vocational education, and promote students’ healthy growth and well-rounded development. It is essential to strengthen admissions and enrollment management, intensify care and support for left-behind children in rural areas and the children of migrant workers in cities, firmly safeguard the bottom line of educational equity, and advance balanced development of basic education. In response to demographic changes, we must optimize the allocation of educational resources and coordinate efforts in budgetary support, school planning, capacity provision, and teacher deployment. With student development at the core, we should deepen reforms in teaching and learning, stay true to fundamentals while fostering innovation, and forge new strengths in basic education. We must further strengthen collaborative education, ensure that all stakeholders assume their responsibilities, and fully leverage the roles of schools, families, and society to create a synergistic force for nurturing talent. Moreover, we should carry forward the spirit of educators, enhance teachers’ professional competence, improve their remuneration and benefits, and attract more outstanding individuals to pursue careers in teaching with confidence. All regions, relevant departments, and schools are called upon to reinforce organizational safeguards and, with a spirit of meticulous attention to detail, ensure that the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council are effectively implemented and yield tangible results.

Leading officials from the Ministry of Education, the Central Institution Organization Commission, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, as well as from Beijing Municipality, Hubei Province, Gansu Province, and Beijing Normal University, delivered remarks and shared their experiences.

Shi Taifeng, Li Shulei, Wang Xiaohong, and Wu Zhenglong attended the meeting.

Officials from all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, and cities separately listed in the national plan, as well as from the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; relevant departments of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council; related people’s organizations; relevant departments of the Central Military Commission; and responsible officials from normal universities directly affiliated with the Ministry of Education and institutions implementing the National Outstanding Teachers Program attended the meeting.

Editor-in-charge: Zhao Danyang