New guideline strengthens tech education

新指南加强科技教育

China aims to further strengthen science and technology education in primary and secondary schools to cultivate students' scientific interest, innovative awareness and practical abilities — a move deemed crucial by experts in building a strong, self-reliant nation with a sufficient talent pool.

中国旨在进一步加强中小学科技教育，培养学生的科学兴趣、创新意识和实践能力——专家认为，此举对于建设一个强大、自力更生、拥有充足人才库的国家至关重要。

By 2030, a well-structured system for science and technology education in primary and secondary schools will be in place with an improved curriculum, higher-quality teaching and better evaluation methods and resource support, according to a guideline released by the Ministry of Education and six other departments during a news conference on Wednesday.

根据教育部和其他六个部门在周三的新闻发布会上发布的指导方针，到2030年，将建立一个结构完善的中小学科技教育体系，改进课程，提高教学质量，改进评估方法和资源支持。

Tian Zuyin, director of the ministry's Department of Basic Education, said the guideline is part of efforts to implement the principles introduced at the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which called for better coordination in building a strong education and science system to ensure a strong talent pool.

教育部基础教育司司长田祖荫表示，该指导方针是落实党的二十届四中全会提出的原则的一部分，会议呼吁更好地协调建设强大的教育和科学体系，以确保强大的人才库。

Primary and secondary schools are an important stage to cultivate students' scientific interest, innovative awareness and practical abilities, Tian said. Strengthening science and technology education is a key measure to promote students' all-around development and serves as a significant path to support the nation's innovation-driven strategy and cultivate future talent in scientific innovation, he said.

田说，中小学是培养学生科学兴趣、创新意识和实践能力的重要阶段。他说，加强科技教育是促进学生全面发展的关键举措，是支持国家创新驱动战略和培养未来科学创新人才的重要途径。

The guideline states that by 2035, an integrated science education ecosystem will be fully established, with improved social resource support mechanisms and widespread adoption of project-based, inquiry-led and interdisciplinary teaching methods.

指南指出，到2035年，全面建成融合科学教育生态，完善社会资源支持机制，广泛采用项目化、探究式和跨学科的教学方式。

It outlines specific focuses for different educational stages. In lower primary grades, the emphasis will be on stimulating curiosity through playful and life-oriented activities. Senior primary students will engage in hands-on experiments and project-based tasks, while middle school students will participate in cross-disciplinary projects aimed at solving real-world problems. High school students will be guided to understand cutting-edge advances in science and technology and carry out experimental research and engineering projects, the guideline said.

它概述了不同教育阶段的具体重点。在小学低年级，重点将是通过有趣和面向生活的活动激发好奇心。高年级小学生将从事动手实验和基于项目的任务，而中学生将参与旨在解决现实世界问题的跨学科项目。指导方针称，将引导高中生了解科学技术的前沿进展，开展实验研究和工程项目。

The document also highlights the integration of scientific and humanistic education, encouraging students to reflect on the social, environmental and ethical impacts of technological development. Humanistic education should include more content on the history of science and the deeds of famous scientists so students can better understand how scientific and technological advancement has pushed forward human civilization, it said.

文件还突出了科学和人文教育的融合，鼓励学生反思技术发展对社会、环境和伦理的影响。它说，人文教育应该包括更多关于科学史和著名科学家事迹的内容，以便学生更好地了解科技进步是如何推动人类文明向前发展的。

In terms of assessment, the guideline promotes diversified and developmental evaluation methods and discourages an overreliance on examinations to avoid creating an excessive burden on teachers and students.

在评估方面，《指引》提倡多元化和发展性的评估方法，不鼓励过度依赖考试，以免给教师和学生造成过重的负担。

Tian said the establishment of the UNESCO International Institute for STEM Education, which was opened in Shanghai in September, fully reflects the international community's recognition of China's science and technology education.

田说，9月在上海成立的联合国教科文组织STEM教育国际研究所充分反映了国际社会对中国科技教育的认可。

Several provincial-level regions have taken the lead in promoting science education.

多个省级地区率先推进科学教育。

Zhejiang province, for example, has included technology and information technology in its college entrance examination as optional subjects and has offered integrated science courses in middle schools for 37 years, he said.

他说，例如，浙江省已将技术和信息技术作为选修科目纳入高考，并在中学开设综合科学课程已有37年。

Meanwhile, Jiangsu province has released a curriculum guide on science and technology education and developed 28 volumes of cross-disciplinary teaching resources, and Chongqing will invest 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) this year to build 20 science labs for schools.

与此同时，江苏省发布了科技教育课程指南，开发了28卷跨学科教学资源，重庆今年将投资1000万元人民币（140万美元）为学校建设20个科学实验室。

Ren Haihong, an official from the China Association for Science and Technology, said there are currently 1,150 science museums, 763 mobile science facilities and 1,849 popular science vehicles in operation nationwide, serving 150 million visitors each year.

中国科协官员任海虹表示，目前全国有1150个科学馆、763个移动科学设施和1849辆科普车在运营，每年为1.5亿游客提供服务。\

Additionally, 1,274 national science education bases across various industries have become important venues for students' social practice activities. Various national societies are also leveraging their expertise to build specialized science popularization facilities serving primary and secondary schools, he said.

此外，1274个跨行业的国家科普教育基地成为学生社会实践活动的重要场所。他说，各个国家学会也在利用他们的专业知识建立专门的科普设施，为中小学服务。

Xu Xuejun, vice-president of Tongji University, said strengthening science and technology education from an early age is key to building a strong education system and helps identify and nurture talent for the country's long-term scientific and technological advancement.

同济大学副校长徐学军表示，从小加强科技教育是建设强大教育体系的关键，有助于为国家的长期科技进步发现和培养人才。

"Science and technology rely on talent, and talent originates from education," he said. "By starting from basic education and systematically enhancing young people's technological innovation capabilities, a virtuous cycle — where education cultivates talent, talent promotes technology and technology revitalizes the nation — can be formed."

他说：“科技靠人才，人才源于教育。”“从基础教育入手，系统提升青少年科技创新能力，就能形成良性循环——教育培养人才、人才推动科技、科技振兴民族。”