让农村孩子接受更好的义务教育

Providing Better Compulsory Education for Rural Children

中华人民共和国副总理 刘延东

Liu Yandong, Vice-Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China
 

党的十八大明确提出“两个百年”、“两个全面”的奋斗目标，为教育事业改革发展指明了方向。习近平总书记在新一届中央领导集体中外记者见面会上把教育列为人民期盼“七个更”之首，李克强总理在国务院第一次全体会议上强调要编织一张包括义务教育在内的覆盖全民、保障基本民生的安全网，这对教育工作提出了新的更高要求。

The report to the Eighteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) set forth the goals that we must work towards in the years ahead. These goals include completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the time the Communist Party of China celebrates its centenary (2021); and turning China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, and harmonious by the time the People’s Republic of China marks its centennial (2049). In addition to completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the report also proposed the goal of deepening China’s reform and opening up in an all-round way. These targets have provided us with a clear direction for the reform and development of education. In the first meeting of the newly elected Party leadership with the Chinese and foreign press, General Secretary Xi Jinping listed better education as the first of seven major public expectations. Moreover, Premier Li Keqiang also highlighted the establishment of a safety net that covers all the people and ensures their basic wellbeing, including education, during the first full session of the State Council. Therefore, in order to meet these new expectations, more will be required of our initiatives in education.

实现十八大提出的奋斗目标，全面建成小康社会、顺利实现现代化，基础在教育、重点在农村。从一定意义上说，农村教育是兴国之基、惠民之要，关乎经济社会发展全局，关乎社会公平正义。九年义务教育是人生连续受教育时间最长的阶段，是打牢人生基础的关键阶段，对人的发展和未来幸福具有决定性影响。在义务教育阶段，农村学校占全国85%以上，农村学生占全国70%以上，覆盖了同龄学生的大多数。因此，办好农村教育，直接关系2020年教育现代化目标的实现。农村义务教育还是城乡统筹发展的连接点，只有为数以亿计的农村孩子提供公平而有质量的义务教育，才能缩小城乡差距，实现社会公平；才能为工业化、信息化、城镇化、农业现代化同步发展提供人才支撑，全面建成小康社会。习近平总书记在十八大之后到河北阜平考察时讲，“下一代要过上好生活，首先要有文化。义务教育一定要搞好，让孩子们受到好的教育”。可以说，农村义务教育重中之重的地位怎么强调都不为过。

Education and rural areas hold the key to achieving the goals established by the report to the Eighteenth National Congress of the CPC, which include accomplishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and realizing the modernization of the country. In a certain sense, rural education can be viewed as the foundation for the rejuvenation of the nation, and the key to ensuring the wellbeing of the people. As such, rural education has an important bearing on China’s overall social and economic development, and also on social fairness and justice. As the longest continuous stage of education that we attend, nine-year compulsory education lays down key foundations in our lives, having a decisive influence on our future and happiness. In China, rural schools account for over 85% of all schools providing compulsory education, while rural students account for more than 70% of students in compulsory education. Therefore, the provision of sound education in rural areas will ensure our success in the modernization of education by the year 2020. Rural compulsory education also represents a key link in the coordination of rural and urban development. Only by providing fair and quality education for China’s hundreds of millions of rural children will we be able to narrow the development gap between urban and rural areas and safeguard social fairness. And only by doing that will we be able to train the talent we need to achieve the simultaneous progression of industrialization, IT application, urbanization, and agricultural modernization, and thereby complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. During a visit to Fuping County, Hebei Province, following the Eighteenth National Congress of the Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping said, “If we want the next generation to live a better life, we must educate them well. We need to deliver a good performance in compulsory education, so that our children can receive a quality education.” Therefore, the importance of compulsory education in rural areas is something that cannot be overemphasized.

近年来，国家为发展农村义务教育办了一系列大事实事好事，既加大投入、加强建设，又深化改革、完善机制，在推进公平和提高质量上都迈出了重要步伐。城乡免费义务教育全面实现。农村中小学生均公用经费标准大幅提高。中央和地方投入3000多亿元实施的校舍安全工程，让学校成为最安全、家长最放心的地方。营养改善计划从最贫困地区起步，已经惠及3000多万学生。特岗计划、国培计划、免费师范生培养计划等提高了农村教师队伍整体素质，绩效工资、周转房建设、职称评定改革等措施改善了农村教师待遇。农村义务教育面貌发生了历史性变化，呈现出健康发展的新局面。

In recent years, the Chinese government has carried out a series of large-scale, practical, and beneficial programs to promote the development of compulsory education in rural areas. By increasing expenditure, enhancing development, deepening reform, and improving mechanisms, we have been able to make significant advances with regard to the fairness and quality of rural compulsory education. For example, free compulsory education has been achieved in all urban and rural areas; public expenditure per student in rural primary and middle schools has been increased by a significant margin; the central government and local governments have allocated more than 300 billion yuan in funding to improve the safety of school buildings, making school the safest place for children and setting parents’ minds at ease; since being launched in China’s most impoverished areas, schemes to provide better nutrition for rural students have already benefited more than 30 million students; the overall quality of the rural teaching workforce has been improved through several initiatives, namely, a plan to place university graduates in special teaching positions in rural schools in western regions, a national plan to train primary and middle school teachers, and a policy of free tuition for teacher-training students; and benefits for rural teachers have been improved through measures such as introducing performance-based pay, providing temporary housing at subsidized rates or for free, and reforming the accreditation system for teaching professionals. Owing to these efforts, we have managed to change the face of compulsory education in rural areas. Now, compulsory education in rural areas is showing new signs of sound development.

2011年，我国全面普及九年义务教育（以下简称“普九”），解决了适龄儿童少年“有学上”的问题。“普九”完成后，义务教育发展向何处去？十八大报告、政府工作报告和国务院第一次全体会议都提出了明确要求，即推进义务教育均衡发展，让所有孩子不仅“有学上”，而且“上好学”。各级党委政府、各有关部门要按照中央的要求，把均衡发展作为义务教育的战略任务，明确路线图和时间表，确保到2020年基本实现区域内义务教育均衡发展的目标。

The universal coverage of nine-year compulsory education, which was achieved in 2011, has ensured that all children are able to attend school. But now that universal coverage has been achieved, what will our next goal be in the development of compulsory education? In fact, clear requirements for the development of compulsory education have already been set out in the report to the Eighteenth National Congress of the CPC, the report on the work of the government, and at the first full session of the State Council. In other words, our next requirement is to promote the balanced development of compulsory education. By balancing the development of compulsory education, not only will we guarantee that all children are able to attend school, we will also ensure that they are able to receive a quality education. Therefore, in accordance with the requirements of the CPC Central Committee, Party committees, governments, and related departments at all levels are required to view the balanced development of compulsory education as a strategic task, formulate clear roadmaps and timeframes for these initiatives, and ensure that the balanced development of compulsory education on a regional basis can be attained by the year 2020.

义务教育均衡发展承载着群众对公平教育和优质教育的双重期盼，比实现“普九”更为复杂、难度更大。推进均衡发展首先要从最广大的农村开始，这是因为历史形成的城乡二元结构带来的城乡差距，使农村成为我国社会事业和教育发展最薄弱的地方。因此，一个地方教育办得好不好，首先要看义务教育抓得怎么样；义务教育好不好，首先要看农村义务教育办得怎么样。在党中央、国务院的关怀重视下，2012年财政性教育经费占国内生产总值的比重实现4%，总量达到2万多亿元，占财政支出的20%，各级党委政府、各级财政部门为此作出了很大努力，成果来之不易。当前，在经济下行、财政增收大幅度减少的情况下，中央仍把教育投入作为刚性支出，提出继续增加但要用好的要求，体现了中央对教育的特殊重视，社会对此也高度关注。各级党委政府要以高度的责任感使命感，对农村义务教育倾注更多的精力，投入更大的财力，把钱用在刀刃上，向边远贫困地区和民族地区倾斜，做到雪中送炭，织好网、补短板、兜住底、促公正。本届政府任期内，要进一步加大支持力度，努力实现义务教育办学条件改善、教育质量提升、城乡差距缩小，让老百姓感受到实实在在的变化，为亿万农村孩子成长成才奠定坚实基础。

The balanced development of compulsory education embodies the expectations of the public for fair and quality education. For this reason, balancing the development of education is a more arduous and complex task than attaining the universal coverage of nine-year compulsory education. Efforts to promote the balanced development of compulsory education must begin in our vast rural areas. This is because China’s urban-rural gap, a result of the dualistic urban-rural structure that has emerged in China over the long term, has caused the development of education and other social programs to be the weakest in rural areas. In ascertaining how well education has been implemented in any given local area, what we need to look at first is how well compulsory education has been handled. And in ascertaining how well compulsory education has been implemented, what we need to look at first is how well rural compulsory education has been handled. With the close attention and care of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, government expenditure on education was able to reach 4% of the GDP in 2012, standing in excess of 2 trillion yuan in total, or 20% of overall government expenditure for that year. This hard-earned result can be attributed to the efforts of Party committees, government authorities, and financial departments at all levels. At present, the central government still views spending on education as fixed expenditure, even though our economic growth is coming under increasing downward pressure and the growth of fiscal revenue has declined significantly. Moreover, the government will continue to increase government expenditure on education, although it has also required that education funding must be used more effectively. These commitments bear testament to the special importance that the central government attaches to education. This has also been the subject of significant public attention. Guided by a strong sense of responsibility and mission, Party committees and local governments at all levels must devote more energy to compulsory education in rural areas, increase the level of spending that goes to rural compulsory education, and ensure that this money is used where it is needed. By tilting government expenditure towards outlying poverty-stricken areas and ethnic minority areas, they must come to the aid of those in need, weave a solid safety net, address weak areas, provide basic guarantees, and promote fairness. During the current term of government, we must step up our efforts to improve conditions in schools offering compulsory education, raise the quality of education, and narrow the gap between urban and rural areas. Through these efforts, we must seek to achieve tangible change that can be felt by the public, and lay down solid foundations for the healthy development of hundreds of millions of rural children.

第一，坚持不懈巩固提高“普九”水平

I. We will make continued efforts to improve nine-year compulsory education

“普九”是新中国的一项世纪工程，取得的成就举世瞩目。目前，我国小学净入学率达到99.85%，初中毛入学率达到102.1%，九年义务教育巩固率达到92%，小学和初中的辍学率一直低于国家控制线（小学1%、初中3%）。但也要看到，我国义务教育城乡差距还比较大，贫困、边远、民族地区差距更大，部分地区“普九”水平低、不稳定，巩固提高的任务相当艰巨，决不能因为全面完成了“普九”任务，就有松口气的思想。

The universalization of nine-year compulsory education was a major undertaking that began with the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. The results that we have gained in this regard have captivated the world. At present, the net enrollment ratio for primary school is 99.58%, the gross enrollment ratio for junior middle school is 102.1%, and the retention rate of nine-year compulsory education is 92%. In addition, the proportion of children dropping out of primary and junior middle school has dropped below 1% and 3% respectively, the red line set by the government. However, the development gap between urban and rural areas in compulsory education is still considerable, with impoverished regions, outlying regions, and ethnic minority regions lagging even further behind. Some areas are only just managing to provide and maintain the provision of compulsory education for all children, and still have a great deal to do in order to bolster and build on what has already been achieved. Therefore, we cannot let up in our efforts just because we have achieved universal access to compulsory education.

义务教育是宪法和义务教育法规定的、所有适龄儿童必须接受的教育，具有强制性、免费性、普及性。提供义务教育是政府法定职责，让子女接受义务教育是家长法定义务。当前，一些地方辍学现象仍然存在。过去学生辍学主要是因为家庭经济困难，现在情况更为复杂。少数家长觉得读书无用，让孩子辍学务工；个别地区学生因上学路远不便而辍学；有的学生因厌学而辍学；有的家庭监护责任不到位，造成一些留守儿童逃学离校。这些现象都须引起高度重视。教育规划纲要提出，到2015年义务教育巩固率提高到93%，2020年提高到95%。这是硬指标、硬约束，必须确保。一是政府责任不能减。控辍保学实行属地化管理，要纳入地方政府和教育部门的政绩考核指标。学生在什么地方辍学，所在地政府及相关部门就有责任促其返学。二是学校工作要做实做细。加强管理，改进教学，以父母之心育人，帮助孩子成长成才。对学习困难、厌学逃学的学生，要注重培养学习兴趣，增强学习信心。三是全社会要形成合力。对没有尽到责任的家长，要督促改正。对非法使用童工，出现一起查处一起。对流浪儿童，要动员社会力量，多措并举，坚决减少以至消除儿童流浪现象。

In accordance with the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China and the Law on Compulsory Education, all children of the prescribed age must attend compulsory education, which should be obligatory, free of charge, and universal. The government is legally obliged to provide compulsory education, while parents are legally obliged to ensure that their children attend compulsory education. Despite these provisions, however, the problem of children dropping out of school is still present in certain regions. In the past, most school dropouts were the result of families experiencing financial difficulties. However, the situation now is more complicated. A small number of parents, believing that school is pointless, force their children to leave school and find a job. In certain areas, some children drop out of school because the distance between school and home is too great. Some children drop out due to a lack of interest, while in some families, a lack of adequate supervision results in unattended children playing truant. These problems demand a high level of concern. China’s outline for the reform and development of education states that the retention rate of nine-year compulsory education should reach 93% by 2015 and 95% by 2020. This is a binding and non-negotiable target that must be met. First, the responsibility of the government should not be reduced. The responsibly for controlling the drop-out rate should be assumed by the government in the place of schooling, and ensuring attendance in school should be integrated into the performance appraisals of local governments and education authorities. Where a child drops out of school, the local government and related departments are obliged to arrange for that child’s return to school in the same area. Second, schools must be run practically and meticulously. Management in schools needs to be strengthened, teaching standards need to be improved, and schools should nurture students’ talents with a strong sense of responsibility. With regard to students who experience learning difficulties, or who play truant due to a lack of interest, schools should place an emphasis on stimulating their interest and building up their confidence in learning. Third, concerted efforts need to be made throughout society. Negligent parents should be urged to fulfill their responsibilities. Any and all cases involving the illegal employment of minors will be investigated and followed up resolutely. In addition, all sectors of society should be called upon to take various measures to reduce the number of vagrant children living on the streets, with a view to eradicating this phenomenon entirely.

巩固提高义务教育普及水平特别需要关注两个群体，就是留守儿童和流动儿童。留守儿童因与父母长期分离，关爱不足，容易导致心理、情感、行为、学习等方面的问题。流动儿童也面临入学和融入城市问题。要通过大力改善受教育条件，给予他们更多的关心和体贴。寄宿制学校要优先接纳留守儿童，城市公办学校要为流动儿童提供更多入学机会，同时构建社会关爱服务机制，加强心理辅导和健康教育。要让学校成为留守儿童温暖的家，城市成为流动儿童成长的乐土，老师成为最亲近的人，让孩子们学习有劲头、生活更快乐。

In our efforts to bolster and improve the coverage of compulsory education in China, there are two groups that deserve special attention: children who move around with their parents, and children who stay behind in the countryside while their parents leave in search of work. Owing to their long-term separation from their parents, children whose parents leave the countryside in search of work often lack the care and affection that they need. In some cases, this may cause them to experience psychological, emotional, behavioral, and learning problems. Children who move around with their parents encounter difficulties getting into school and integrating into cities. Therefore, we need to show greater care for these children by engaging in a major effort to provide better access to education. Boarding schools should give priority to children whose parents do not live at home. Government-run schools in cities should offer more places to children that have moved into the city along with their parents. At the same time, we should put a social care and services mechanism in place to provide stronger mental and health guidance for these children. Through these efforts, we need to make our schools warm homes for children whose parents have left in search of work; we need to make our cities happy places to grow up for children who migrate with their parents; and we need to make our teachers the closest people that these children have, thereby ensuring that they are able to find interest in learning and live happily.

结合贯彻中央改进工作作风、密切联系群众的八项规定，教育部要研究制定开展“普九”成果“回头看”活动。这项活动要与深入推进义务教育均衡发展结合起来，与教育督导结合起来，与发挥社会各界的监督作用结合起来。通过“回头看”活动，摸清底数，发现问题，采取有效措施，切实巩固“普九”成果，推进义务教育水平有新的提高。

In line with the eight requirements of the CPC Central Committee with regard to improving styles of work and maintaining close ties with the people, the Ministry of Education should make plans to look back on the achievements that have been made in our effort to provide nine-year compulsory education for all. These activities should be carried out alongside efforts to promote the balanced development of compulsory education, alongside efforts to inspect and oversee education, and alongside efforts to encourage the involvement of various social sectors in the supervision of education. By looking back on what we have achieved, we will be in a better position to ascertain the current situation, identify problems, and take effective measures to solve those problems. In turn, this will allow us to effectively consolidate our achievements in the universalization of nine-year compulsory education and bring about new rises in the standard of compulsory education.

第二，科学合理布局农村学校

II. We need to plan the distribution of rural schools in a scientific way

近十年来，为适应农村人口流动和学生分布的变化，各地对农村学校进行了布局调整，改善了办学条件，提高了办学效益和质量。但一些地方也存在盲目撤并、过急过快的情况，部分学生上学路程变远，安全隐患增加，家庭经济负担加重。针对这些问题，国务院办公厅2012年专门印发文件规范农村学校布局调整，盲目撤并现象得到有效遏制。各地要进一步把文件精神落实好，创造条件让农村学生安全便捷上学读书。

Over the past decade, local governments have made adjustments to the layout of schools in rural areas in accordance to changes that have occurred in the distribution of China’s rural population and rural students. These initiatives have helped to improve conditions in schools, and have raised efficiency and standards of quality in the running of schools. However, some local governments have gone too far too soon, acting blindly in the shutting down and merging of rural schools. As a result, some students must now travel further in order to get to school. In addition to increasing potential safety risks, this has also placed families under a heavier financial burden. In response to these issues, the General Office of the State Council issued a set of specific guidelines on adjusting the layout of rural schools in 2012. As a result, the blind merging and shutting down of schools in rural areas has been effectively curbed. Local governments are required to continue implementing these guidelines, thereby creating favorable conditions for rural children to get to school safely and conveniently.

一是严格规范布局调整程序。各地要抓紧制定农村义务教育学校布局专项规划，教育部要加强对各地的指导，尽快完成规划备案工作。完成备案之前，暂停农村中小学校撤并。确需撤并的学校必须严格履行程序，听取各方面意见，充分论证，逐级上报至省级政府审批，坚决制止强行撤并。

First, we must strictly standardize administrative procedures for adjusting the layout of rural schools. Local governments should promptly formulate dedicated plans on the distribution of rural schools offering compulsory education. At the same time, the Ministry of Education should step up its oversight over governments in this regard and ensure that local plans are registered as soon as possible. Prior to the registration of these plans, no more primary and junior middle schools in rural areas are permitted to be merged or shut down. Where schools do in fact need to be merged or closed, the relevant procedures must be strictly observed. In these cases, authorities must hear the opinions of all relevant parties, carry out thorough deliberations, report to higher bodies, and seek the approval of the provincial government. The forced merging or shutting down of schools must be stopped.

二是加强寄宿制学校建设。教育部要会同发展改革委、财政部等部门，尽快研究制定加强农村寄宿制学校建设的标准和措施，配足宿舍、食堂、厕所、洗浴等必需设施，配齐管理服务人员，力争本届政府任内基本解决农村寄宿制学校数量不足、必需设施不完备问题。

Second, we need to step up our efforts to promote boarding schools. Working in collaboration with the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education should formulate a set of standards and measures concerning the development of boarding schools in rural areas as soon as possible. These boarding schools should be equipped with the necessary facilities, such as dormitories, canteens, toilets, and bathrooms, and staffed with a full contingent of administrative and service personnel. Working on this basis, the Ministry of Education must strive to address the shortage of boarding schools in rural areas as well as the inadequate facilities in these schools during the current term of government.

三是办好必要的村小学和教学点。要按照“缺什么补什么”的原则，改善村小学和教学点办学条件，实施好“教学点数字资源全覆盖”项目，优先向村小学和教学点输送优质资源。要培养更多一专多能的教师，解决好村小学和教学点开课不齐不足的问题。对承担多门课程的教师，绩效工资要予以倾斜。还可以采取走教、志愿者支教等多种方式改善师资条件。

Third, we should ensure the sound running of the necessary village primary schools and rural learning centers. In line with the principle of ensuring schools have whatever they need, we must work to improve conditions in village primary schools and learning centers, implement the project to equip all learning centers with digital facilities, and give priority to village primary schools and learning centers in the provision of top resources. At the same time, we should train more teachers who are able to teach multiple subjects in addition to their own subject of focus, so as to address the problem of village primary schools and learning centers not being able to provide the full range of subjects. Performance pay schemes should be tilted towards teachers that teach several subjects. Village schools and rural learning centers may also adopt other measures to improve their teaching contingents, such as sharing teachers with other schools and the recruiting of volunteers.

四是安全教育和防范工作时刻不能放松。在学校日常管理中，要做好突发事件和自然灾害的应急演练，提高学生防范人身伤害的能力。不少农村学生上下学路途远、时间长，政府要统筹发展农村公共交通，根据当地实际，多种形式逐步提供校车服务。教育、公安、交通等有关部门要积极配合，为有通勤需要的学生打造一条“绿色通道”。

Fourth, we cannot allow for any letup in our efforts to promote safety and disaster prevention education in schools. Emergency drills and exercises should be carried out as a part of routine management in schools, with a view to enhancing the ability of students to avoid personal injury. For many students in rural areas, the road between school and home is a long one. For this reason, local governments are required to take comprehensive measures to develop public transportation in rural areas, and should adopt various approaches to the provision of school buses and services in accordance with local conditions. Education, public security, and transportation departments should collaborate in order to ensure safe passage for students traveling to and from school.

第三，因地制宜推进学校标准化建设

III. We should promote the standardization of schools in accordance with local conditions

学校标准化建设是推进义务教育均衡发展的重要内容。要继续以薄弱学校改造计划为抓手，大力推进标准化建设，力争用5年左右的时间基本消除农村地区义务教育薄弱学校，逐步让农村孩子也能和城里孩子一样享受基本教学环境和生活条件。

Promoting the standardization of schools represents an important aspect of our efforts to balance the development of compulsory education. Placing our focus on the renovation of weak schools, we must devote major efforts to promoting standardization in schools, and set ourselves the target of essentially turning all weak schools in rural areas around over the next five years or so. Through these efforts, we will gradually ensure that rural children are able to enjoy the same basic schooling environment and living conditions as urban children.

学校标准化建设主要包括三个方面。一是标准化的教学设施。对每所学校的校舍、师资、实验设施、教学仪器、图书资料、音体美器材等，要按国家基本标准进行配备。标准化建设是保基本，并不是要和城市最好的条件去比，更不能追求豪华。二是保障学生健康安全的生活条件。宿舍、食堂、盥洗、厕所等满足学习生活的基本需求，形成适宜学生健康成长、和谐安全的校园环境。三是科学有序的管理制度。树立以人为本的现代管理理念，在学生、教师、财物等方面形成完善的管理制度，提升管理服务的科学化水平。教育部要会同相关部门研究制定学校标准化建设的指导意见。需要强调的是，各地情况千差万别，自然资源和经济社会发展水平不同，标准化建设一定要因地制宜，从实际出发，防止盲目攀比。

Standardization in schools involves three aspects. The first is the standardization of school facilities. School buildings, teachers, experimental facilities, teaching tools, books, and equipment for PE, music and art classes should all be provided in line with basic government standards. Standardization is about ensuring minimum requirements; it is not about competing with the best equipped schools in cities, or pursuing luxuries. The second aspect of standardization relates to the health and safety of students in school. We must ensure that dormitories, canteens, bathrooms, and toilets are able to meet the basic demands of students, with a view to creating harmonious and safe school environments that are ideal for the healthy and safe growth of students. The third aspect of standardization in schools pertains to sound management. We need to establish a modern managerial approach that puts people first, develop sound measures for the management of students, teachers, and property, and work constantly to make management in schools more advanced. The Ministry of Education will be required to collaborate with other departments in forming guidelines on the standardization of schools. However, what needs to be emphasized is that conditions vary widely in different parts of the country, with different areas boasting different natural resources and levels of economic and social development. Therefore, we must approach standardization on the basis of actual local conditions, and take care to avoid making straight comparisons.

第四，提高农村义务教育质量

IV. We should continue to improve the quality of rural compulsory education

提高农村义务教育质量的根本在于遵循教育规律，全面实施素质教育。就是要做到育人为本、立德树人，增强学生的社会责任感；就是要鼓励实践、激发创新，改变重知识传授、轻能力培养的状况；就是要尊重个性、因材施教，不放弃每一个孩子，让学生健康活泼、全面发展。在农村学校推进素质教育，要结合实际，扬长避短，探索多样模式，走出一条符合农村孩子成长特点的质量提升、内涵发展的新路。

The key to improving the quality of compulsory education in rural areas lies in showing respect for the essence of education and taking comprehensive steps to promote the development of all-round education. This comes down to three aspects: First, we must ensure that the cultivation of people and the cultivation of moral integrity come first, so as to establish a strong sense of social responsibility in our students; second, we should encourage participation in practical activities and stimulate creativity among students, so as to address a situation in which too much emphasis is placed on the imparting of knowledge, and too little is placed on the cultivation of ability; and third, we should respect the unique personalities of each individual student, apply different techniques for different students, and ensure that students are able to grow in a healthy and well-rounded manner, being sure never to give up on a single child. In setting out to promote all-round education in rural areas, we need to take local realities into consideration, play to local strengths, and experiment with a diverse range of implementation models. By doing so, we will strive to develop a new approach to raising the quality and expanding the depth of rural education, one that is tailored specifically to the traits of children in rural areas.

一是大力开展“中国梦”主题教育活动。“中国梦”主题教育活动已在教育系统率先开展，要结合不同年龄段孩子的特点，把“中国梦”教育引向深入，引导孩子们把个人梦融入国家梦、民族梦，树立国家好、民族好、大家才会好的思想。农村学校更应从自身特点出发，让孩子们从家乡的变化中、从党和政府对农村孩子的关怀中，培养爱家乡爱祖国的情怀，深入理解“中国道路”。要以生动活泼的方式，普及中华优秀传统文化，阐述改革开放的时代精神，加强社会主义核心价值观教育，让孩子们自觉传承“中国精神”。要激励孩子把理想抱负化为实际行动，励志图强、艰苦奋斗、成才报国，共同凝聚“中国力量”。让每个孩子共同享有人生出彩的机会，共同享有梦想成真的机会，共同享有同祖国和时代一起成长与进步的机会。

First, we should launch activities themed around the “Chinese Dream.” Education has been the first field to see the launch of activities themed around the “Chinese Dream.” Taking into consideration the traits of children at different ages, we need to deepen education related to the “Chinese Dream,” guide children in incorporating their own dreams into the dreams of the country and people, and help them to establish the notion that only when the country and nation are well off can everybody be well off. Rural schools should take advantage of their own conditions, helping children to foster love for their hometown and their motherland, as well as a deep understanding of the “Chinese Road,” by showing them the changes that have taken place in their hometown, and making them aware that the Party and government care for them. In addition, we should make China’s fine traditional culture known to all students in an active and vivid fashion, explain the contemporary spirit of reform and opening up, and step up our efforts to teach core socialist values, thereby allowing school children to consciously embrace and carry forward the “Chinese spirit.” We should encourage children to fulfill their ideals through their own actions, and inspire them to work hard and repay the country with their talents, so that they may come together to form “China strength.” We should ensure that every child has the opportunity to lead a fantastic life, to fulfill their dreams, and to grow and progress along with their motherland and the times.

二是按照能力为重的要求深化课程和教学改革。义务教育阶段是人的品格、个性和创造力形成的最重要阶段。国家规定的课程要确保开足开好，不能降标准、打折扣。在此基础上，突出教学方法创新，增强教学的针对性实效性和吸引力感染力，提高课堂教学效果，保护好培养好学生的好奇心、求知欲、想象力。各地要根据当地自然和人文资源，建立一批有特色的社会实践基地，开发富有乡村特色的地方课程和学校课程，延伸学习的“第二课堂”。要积极创造条件，让农村孩子到博物馆、艺术馆、科技馆开拓视野，与城市孩子结对交流，在社会交往和适应能力上得到更多的锻炼。

Second, we need to continue with curriculum and teaching reforms, placing the focus on cultivating the abilities of students. Compulsory education is a vital stage in the formation of one’s character, personality, and creativity. Therefore, we must ensure that all subjects stipulated by the government are taught in full with no compromise in quality. On this basis, we should place an emphasis on the exploration of new teaching methods which are able to make teaching more targeted, more effective, and more appealing, which give full play to the role of classroom teaching, and which not only cultivate but also protect the curiosity, desire for knowledge, and imagination of students. Local governments should make full use of the natural and cultural resources in their localities to develop social activity centers for students and introduce courses that boast rural features, thereby taking learning beyond the classroom. In addition, we should provide rural students with more opportunities to visit museums, art galleries, and science and technology museums, and allow them to mix with students from urban areas. This will not only broaden their horizons, but will also allow them to develop their social skills and become more adept at adapting to unfamiliar surroundings.

三是加强农村学校的体育和艺术教育。要强化学生的体育、科学、艺术教育，提高科学素质，培养审美情趣和艺术修养。现在，青少年体质下滑的问题依然严峻，体育仍是学校教育的一块短板。实现“健康中国”必须从孩子抓起。要开展符合农村特点的体育活动，把体育课真正还给学生，让学生动起来、跑起来。教育部门与卫生部门要加强协作，在农村中小学开展定期体检，建立学生健康与体能监测档案。艺术教育薄弱的问题在农村学校还比较普遍，要统筹区域内乡土文化、民间艺术、民族文化遗产等资源，鼓励教师走教和兼职，探索简便实用的艺术教育模式，培养学生艺术爱好和艺术素养。要加强体育、艺术类教师的培养培训，调动社会支教的积极性，动员退休教师、大学生志愿者、民族民间艺人等到农村学校支教，多种形式扩大农村体育、艺术教育资源。

Third, we need to enhance physical education and art teaching in rural schools. Efforts must be made to enhance physical education, science, and art teaching in rural schools, with a view to raising the scientific knowledge, aesthetic taste, and artistic attainment of rural students. Physical education is still insufficient in schools, with declining physical fitness among students still being a serious problem. Therefore, if we are to realize our goal of a “healthy China,” we must start by improving the physical fitness of children. By organizing sporting activities that match rural conditions, we need to give PE classes back to students, and encourage participation in physical activities. Education and health departments should step up their collaboration by arranging routine physical examinations in rural primary and junior middle schools and keeping records to monitor the health and fitness of rural students. Art education is still generally lacking in rural schools. Therefore, by making full use of local culture, folk arts, and national cultural heritage, we should encourage teachers to teach at multiple schools and take on extra classes in their free time, and develop simple but effective teaching models that are able to foster students’ interest and attainment in art. At the same time, we should train more art and PE teachers, mobilize people from various social sectors to engage in teaching, encourage retired teachers, student volunteers, and folk artists to teach in rural schools, and adopt various means of increasing PE and art resources in rural schools.

第五，把营养改善计划这项民心工程办好

V. We need to properly implement the plan to improve the nutrition of rural students

实施营养改善计划，是中央教育惠民的一项重大决策，启动一年多来取得了明显成效。目前，国家试点已覆盖699个集中连片特困县（含新疆生产建设兵团19个团场）、近10万所学校，惠及2300万学生，中央财政已累计投入550亿元。同时，还有15个省份481个县开展了地方试点，覆盖3万多所学校，惠及800多万学生。统算起来，全国有超过三分之一的县实施了营养改善计划，超过四分之一的农村义务教育学生享受营养补助政策。如此大规模对学生营养进行科学干预，在我国历史上是空前的。世界银行、联合国世界粮食计划署和儿童发展伙伴组织联合考察后给予高度评价，一致认为中国经验值得其他国家学习与借鉴。

The plan to improve the nutrition of rural students is a major public welfare policy that the central government has introduced in education. Since being launched more than a year ago, the plan has brought about notable results. So far, the central government has devoted 55 billion yuan to trial schemes covering almost 100,000 schools in 699 poverty-stricken counties (including 19 county-level regiment-farms administered by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps). The number of students that have benefited from the scheme stands at 23 million. In addition, 15 provincial governments have launched their own trial nutritional schemes in over 30,000 schools covering 481 counties, coming to the benefit of more than 8 million students. This means that nutritional schemes for rural students are now being implemented in over one third of China’s counties, with over one quarter of the country’s rural students enjoying subsidies for better nourishment. At no time in Chinese history has planned intervention to improve student nutrition been carried out on such a scale. The World Bank, the World Food Program, and Partnership for Child Development rated the plan highly after conducting a joint survey, agreeing unanimously that other countries can learn from China’s experiences.

营养改善计划从最贫困地区起步，是一件好事。好就好在计划内容好、起点选择好，抓在了关键处，抓住了薄弱点。但这也是一件难事，难就难在试点集中在困难地区，699个县都在中西部，有368个民族县、431个国家级贫困县、54个边境县，贫困面大、贫困程度深。难就难在基础薄弱，不少学校交通闭塞，食品采购困难，供餐条件简陋。难还难在好事如何可持续，这不是一朝一夕的事，将来还要扩大覆盖面，必须持之以恒，越办越好。

It is a good thing that our plan to improve student nutrition has been launched in the country’s most poverty-stricken areas first. This is because the plan has been formulated well, setting a good standard, addressing the crux of the problem, and taking target at the weakest areas. However, there are also difficulties involved in introducing this plan in the country’s most poverty-stricken areas. This is because all 699 of the counties involved in the trials are located in central and western China, with 368 being ethnic minority counties, 431 being national-level poverty-stricken counties, and 54 being border counties. These are all counties that feature high levels of poverty over an extended area. Moreover, these areas have weak infrastructure, with many schools being located in areas that are difficult to access. This makes it difficult for schools to purchase food. In addition, many schools are poorly equipped to provide meals for students. Another difficulty is the issue of how we can keep this scheme going. This is not a one-off; it is a scheme that must be expanded in the future, committed to on a long-term basis, and improved constantly.

孩子是国家和民族的未来，孩子吃好了，政府才能安心，社会才能放心。实施农村学生营养改善计划中央是下了决心的，要帮就先帮最困难的群体，要做就先做最紧迫的事情，再难也要办好。现在少数地方在实施中出现一些问题，如简单化操作、供餐模式单一、地方资金不配套、管理跟不上、食品安全事件时有发生等，这些问题虽是局部性的，但决不能掉以轻心。各地各部门要精细化管理，把好事办好。一要确保营养改善。创新思路，就地取材，因地制宜选择供餐模式，确有需要又有条件的地方可以逐步以食堂供餐替代校外供餐。食堂建设要与学校标准化建设结合起来，实用即可。二要保障食品安全。营养改善计划环节多、链条长，从农田到餐桌，监管难度大，各方面一定要慎之又慎，层层把关，坚决防止重大食物中毒事件的发生。哪个环节出了问题，都要追究责任。三要强化资金安全。资金要严格落实专款专用，严禁挪作他用。要做“加法”不能做“减法”，原先地方政府实施的政策性补助要衔接好，应由家长合理负担的部分不能撤出，避免挤出效应。四要坚持阳光操作。透明公开是计划实施的硬要求，要纳入当地政务公开范畴，便于群众知晓和社会监督，促进营养改善计划廉洁运行。要加快建立实名制学生信息管理系统，全国联网，保证每一个该享受补助的学生不被遗漏，每一笔补助资金不被冒领。

Children are vital to the future of the country and the nation. Only when our children are able to eat well will the minds of the government and society be at ease. The central government is committed to improving the nutrition of rural students. In doing so, it will begin by helping those most in need, and by addressing the most pressing matters, no matter how difficult this may be. However, there have been some problems in the implementation of the plan in a small number of areas. These problems include perfunctory operation, a lack of modes for meal provision, insufficient supporting funds from local governments, backward management, and food safety incidents. Though these are only isolated cases, they cannot be neglected. Therefore, local governments and the relevant departments must refine their management in order to ensure that the scheme is a success. First, we must ensure that student nutrition is improved. We should adopt new ways of thinking, make use of local ingredients, and choose meal provision modes in line with local conditions. At the same time, where conditions permit, and where there is an actual need to do so, school canteens may be built as an alternative to sourcing meals externally. The building of canteens should be tied into the standardization of schools, and canteens should be built according to practical standards. Second, we must ensure food safety. The plan to improve the nutrition of rural students is a long chain consisting of many links spanning from the farm to the dinner table. As such, monitoring this process can be very difficult. Therefore, all participants must be both prudent and strict in their implementation of the scheme, and take resolute action to prevent major cases of food poisoning. In cases where a problem does occur in a certain link in the chain, those responsible will be held accountable. Third, we must guarantee the security of funds. We must strictly prohibit the appropriation of funds, so as to ensure that funds earmarked for the nutrition of rural students are used for that purpose alone. Moreover, we should ensure that funding is only allowed to increase, not decrease. Local governments should tie their existing subsidization policies in with the plan, and parents should still be required to cover a reasonable proportion of the cost, so as to prevent the crowding out effect. Fourth, we must remain committed to transparency. Transparency and openness are compulsory requirements for the implementation of the plan. Local governments are required to include the plan in the range of government affairs that they make public. This will aid the public in staying informed about and supervising the plan as it is implemented, which in turn will help to prevent the occurrence of corruption. In addition, we should work faster to establish a nationwide student information management system, so as to ensure that no students are left out by the plan, and that no subsidies are claimed fraudulently.

中央在集中连片贫困地区实施这个计划只是起步。希望各地就义务教育学生的营养改善开展试点，逐步扩大范围，中央财政通过对农村、贫困地区安排奖补资金予以鼓励。要从各地实际出发，研究制定成本在政府、家庭、社会之间怎么分摊。教育部、财政部要会同有关省市，提出本届政府任内农村义务教育学生营养改善的具体工作方案。营养干预应逐步做到对义务教育阶段学生的全覆盖，针对学生的不同情况进行科学干预。如城市要针对营养过剩、小胖子多等问题，科学设计营养干预办法，使营养摄入与身体成长相协调。

The decision by the central government to launch this plan in regions where poverty exists over extended areas represents only an initial step. We hope that local governments proceed with and gradually expand the scope of trial schemes to improve the nutrition of students attending compulsory education in their localities. In such cases, the central government will provide incentives in the form of reward funds for rural areas and poverty-stricken areas. In consideration of local conditions, local governments should formulate schemes for the sharing of costs between the government, households, and other sectors of society. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance should collaborate with the relevant provincial and municipal governments to draw up specific schemes for efforts to improve the nutrition of rural students in compulsory education during the term of the current government. Nutrition improvement schemes should gradually be expanded to cover all students in compulsory education. Moreover, these schemes should be tailored to students in different areas. For instance, in cities, rational nutrition schemes should be designed to address the problem of overnutrition and obesity, thereby ensuring that students receive the nutrition they need while they are growing.

第六，让农村优秀教师进得来、留得住、教得好

VI. We need to attract outstanding teachers to rural areas, keep them content in their jobs, and allow them to demonstrate their teaching skills

缩小城乡教育差距、提高农村教育水平，关键在教师。近几年，国家加大力度，吸引优秀人才到农村长期从教。但城乡教师队伍整体素质差距依然较大，优秀教师“稳”和“留”的问题一直困扰着农村学校。2012年国务院印发了《关于加强教师队伍建设的意见》，教育部等五部委也专门针对农村义务教育教师出台了文件，关键在于落到实处。

Teachers are the key to narrowing the urban-rural gap in education and improving the standard of education in rural areas. In recent years, the government has stepped up its efforts to encourage excellent teachers to take up long-term teaching positions in rural areas. However, there is still a considerable gap in the overall standard of teachers in urban and rural areas. Many rural schools still face the problem of keeping hold of excellent teachers. In response to these problems, the State Council issued the Guidelines on the Strengthening of the Teaching Workforce in the year 2012. At the same time, the Ministry of Education and four other departments have also promulgated documents pertaining to teachers in rural compulsory education. The key now is to ensure that these documents are properly implemented.

一要提高农村教师职业吸引力。坚持以事业留人、感情留人、适当的待遇留人，让更多的优秀教师扎根在农村。在工资待遇上，对农村教师要给予必要倾斜，把“不低于公务员平均工资水平”的要求落实到位，并逐步提高。在职务职称上，对长期在村小学和教学点任教的教师，给予特殊的制度安排，使他们有更多机会晋升高级职称。在住房公积金、社会保险和周转房上，要再做几件实事，为农村教师解决后顾之忧。2013年中央一号文件明确要求设立专项资金，对连片特困地区乡村学校和教学点的教师给予生活补助，教育部、财政部要抓紧拿出落实方案，争取从2013年秋季学期开始实施。

First, we should make teaching in rural schools more appealing. In working to keep teachers in their jobs, we should continue to emphasize teachers’ career devotion and their sense of belonging in addition to ensuring that they receive adequate benefits. On this basis, we should encourage more outstanding teachers to base themselves in rural areas. In terms of pay, we should tilt policy in favor of rural teachers, ensure that teacher salaries are no lower than the average salary of local public servants in the area in question, and continue to raise teacher salaries on a progressive basis. With regard to professional accreditation, we should develop special provisions for teachers who teach in rural primary schools and learning centers on a long terms basis, so as to give them a better chance of being awarded senior professional titles. In addition, we should adopt more solid measures with regard to housing funds, social insurance, and temporary housing in order to address the worries of rural teachers. The No.1 Decree issued by the CPC Central Committee in 2013 clearly demanded that special funds should be allocated to subsidize teachers in rural primary schools and learning centers located in regions where poverty exists over extended areas. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance are required to formulate an implementation plan as soon as possible in order to ensure that this scheme is launched by the autumn term of 2013.

二要健全多渠道的师资补充机制。国家的免费师范生计划、国培计划、特岗计划要继续扩大规模，并支持鼓励地方实施相应项目，中央财政予以奖补。特岗计划服务期满后愿意留下的教师，要保证入编入岗。城乡教师校长轮岗交流要形成制度、扩大范围，城市名校要与薄弱学校结对子，鼓励建立学校联盟，探索集团化办学，提倡对口帮扶，实施学区化管理。

Second, we need to develop a multiple-channel mechanism for the supplementation of rural teachers. We should continue to expand the scope of our schemes to bolster the rural teaching workforce, such as the free tuition scheme for teacher-training students who assume rural teaching positions, the national plan to train primary and middle school teachers, and the scheme to place university graduates in special teaching positions in rural schools in western regions. In addition, we should also encourage local governments to launch corresponding schemes, with awards and subsidies from the central government budget. College students wishing to stay on as teachers in rural schools in western regions should be guaranteed an official teaching position. At the same time, we should also develop provisions for teacher and headmaster exchanges between urban and rural schools, and progressively expand the scale of these exchange activities. Renowned schools in urban areas should pair with weak schools. We should encourage the establishment of school alliances, explore the possibilities of running schools using a group model, and call for the provision of dedicated support. In addition, we should take measures to administer education resources on the basis of school districts.

三要加大教师培训力度。农村教师知识结构和教学能力不足，教学方法相对落后，科学、综合实践、信息技术、音体美等学科教师紧缺，是制约教育质量提高的瓶颈。教师培训要注重实效性和针对性，加强紧缺薄弱学科教师和民族地区双语教师培训，提高实施新课程的教学技能。2015年之前，所有农村教师要轮训一遍，让他们有机会开阔视野、更新教育理念。

Third, we should step up our efforts to train teachers. Bottlenecks hindering us in our attempts to raise the quality of rural education include the insufficient knowledge structures and teaching skills of rural teachers, backward teaching methods, as well as a lack of teachers in science, integrated activities, IT, music, PE, and art. Therefore, our initiatives in the training of teachers should be geared more towards responding to this situation and producing practical results. Specifically, we need to step up the training of teachers that are in short supply as well as bilingual teachers in ethnic minority areas, and enhance the ability of our teachers to implement the new curriculum. Moreover, we must ensure that all rural teachers undergo a round of teacher training by the year 2015, which will give them the opportunity to widen their vision and learn about new concepts in education.

对一些地方存在的代课教师问题，2011年教育部等四部委下发了相关文件，但各地落实进度还不平衡，少数地方问题比较突出，群体性上访事件时有发生。教育部等相关部门要加强指导，各地要按照文件要求，把这件事妥善处理好。

[注：该部分未有英文译文。]

办好农村义务教育，要加强党对教育工作的领导，真正把教育放在优先发展的战略位置，牢固树立“再穷不能穷教育，再苦不能苦孩子”、“抓教育就是抓发展，投入教育就是投资未来”的思想。办好农村义务教育，是各级政府一项极为重要的职责，也是建设服务型政府需要加强的内容。要按照中央转变职能、转变作风的要求，健全政府统筹、齐抓共管的机制，教育、财政、发展改革、编制、人力资源社会保障等部门要履职尽责、密切配合，及时研究解决农村义务教育改革发展的重大问题和群众关心的热点问题。教育信息化和教育督导是加强农村义务教育的两大支撑保障。信息化对促进教育公平和提升教育质量具有重要意义，教育部要与工业和信息化部、电信企业加强合作，结合“三网融合”的进程，加快农村学校信息化步伐，建成网络条件下的基本教学环境和教育管理平台，实现“校校通、班班通”，使边远地区师生能够零距离使用优质教育资源，同时也使边远地区的教师通过观摩优质课程资料，提高自身的教学水平。2012年，国务院颁布了《教育督导条例》，成立了国务院教育督导委员会。各地要落实《教育督导条例》，健全督导机构，加强督学队伍建设。要将农村义务教育作为教育督导工作的优先和重点领域，及时督导重大问题，加强动态监测，建立问责机制，并纳入政府绩效考评体系，促进农村义务教育发展再上新台阶。

In setting out to make rural compulsory education a success, we must strengthen the leadership of the Party in our education initiatives, and ensure that education is genuinely treated as a developmental priority of strategic significance. We need to establish the notion that no matter how poor we are, we can never neglect education; and that no matter how tough things are, we can never allow children to suffer. At the same time, we need to realize that addressing education is the same as addressing development, and that spending in education is the same as investing in the future. Delivering a sound performance in the provision of compulsory education in rural areas is an extremely important duty of governments at all levels. This is also an area that needs to be strengthened in our efforts to make the government more service-oriented. In line with the requirements set forth by the central government on the transformation of government functions and work styles, we need to improve a mechanism whereby the government plays an overall coordinating role while the various departments engage in joint administration. Departments in charge of education, finance, development and reform, staffing, and human resources and social security should fulfill their respective duties, cooperate with each other, and promptly solve major issues and major concerns of the public pertaining to the reform and development of rural compulsory education. The application of IT and the carrying out of inspections and oversight represent two major supporting foundations for the development of compulsory education in rural areas. The application of IT has an important role to play in promoting fairness and raising the quality of education. Therefore, the Ministry of Education should strengthen its cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology as well as telecommunications enterprises. Taking advantage of the integration of telecommunication networks, cable television networks, and the Internet, it should accelerate the application of IT in rural schools, and establish a basic, Internet-enabled teaching environment and a platform for education management. In this way, schools and classes will be able to communicate with one another over the Internet. Moreover, teachers and students in remote border areas will be able to access quality education resources, and teachers in these areas will also be able to hone their teaching skills by observing excellent teaching materials online. In 2012, the State Council issued the Regulations on Inspections and Oversight in Education, and set up a commission on education inspection and oversight. Local governments are required to fully implement the Regulations on Inspections and Oversight in Education, bolster inspection organizations, and assemble strong teams of inspectors. They should identify compulsory education in rural areas as the priority area for inspection, promptly oversee the handling of major issues, strengthen dynamic monitoring, establish accountability systems, and incorporate the inspection and oversight of education into government performance appraisals. By taking these initiatives, we will be able to promote new advances in the development of rural compulsory education.

办好农村义务教育，影响深远，责任重如泰山。我们要在以习近平同志为总书记的党中央坚强领导下，积极进取，扎实工作，为实现亿万农村孩子的人生梦想、实现中华民族伟大复兴的“中国梦”作出新的贡献！

The sound provision of compulsory education in rural areas is an endeavor of great significance and a task of huge responsibility. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, with Xi Jinping as the General Secretary, we must forge ahead proactively, work in a pragmatic fashion, and continue to make new contributions so that the dreams of hundreds of millions of rural children may be fulfilled, and the “Chinese dream” of national rejuvenation may be realized.