Vice-Premier Liu Yandong stressed the need to increase educational reform, promote educational modernization and establish a strong educational country, during a teleconference held on Oct 9.

Liu said that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), China’s educational reform has seen historic achievements, and its overall educational development also entered the world’s middle to high level, providing better and fairer education for the people and strong support for social and economic development.

Reform is the fundamental driving force for educational development, she said, adding that educational reform should focus on the issues of cultivating talent and how to cultivate them to deepen comprehensive reform, and develop world-class modern education, while retaining Chinese characteristics.

The vice-premier also urged efforts to build an integrated moral education system that runs through the whole education process, future reform in the management system, school operations and teaching methods, promote inclusive development for pre-school education, balanced and quality development for compulsory education and diversified development for high school education.

Poverty alleviation in education fields should also be stressed, said Liu, adding the government should improve national education, special education and further education, creating conditions for every student.

She also asked to improve the quality of vocational education, promote the reform of college-entrance examinations, enhance higher education to cultivating talent for a strong country in science and technology and manufacturing.

Liu also stressed efforts to raise the quality of teachers, improve the investment mechanism and encourage social investment in education.