MOE advises practical courses for key socialist values
China's Ministry of Education (MOE) has announced guidelines for practice classes for primary and middle school students and is asking schools to cover traditional culture, revolutionary education and national security education.
The Ministry's Primary and Middle School Students Comprehensive Practice Class Guidelines, which came out on Monday, recommends 152 practice course topics, another of which is environmental education, China News Service has reported.
"The reason for providing practical class topics to schools is to help them follow central government requirements since the Communist Party of China (CPC) and all of society are paying closer attention to education, including traditional culture, revolutionary tradition, national security, rule by law, and the environment … to better guide schools in teaching practical classes," the ministry noted.
All of this accords with the requirements in the 19th National Congress of the CPC report, which said that a greater effort is needed in improving students' practical education, said the ministry. [Special coverage]
The guidelines note that the goal of the practice classes is to help students better understand socialist values, to love the CPC and the country, and to gain a sense of responsibility and better creativity.
"Educational themes, including revolutionary education, are a way to make students aware of the right values in accordance with the key values of the CPC," said Chu Zhaohui, a researcher at the National Institute of Education Sciences, in speaking with the Global Times.
National security education is expected to include the country's development, its history, and its heritage, Chu said, adding that promoting CPC key values is crucial for the country's development.
The MOE is also asking schools to organize guideline study sessions for teachers, to provide training sessions and equipment for classes on practical skills and to cooperate with other schools and relevant organizations.