December 8. - 10. 2023, the 10th annual meeting of the China Education 30 Forum was held in Beijing with the theme 'High Quality Development of Education'. More than 50 experts, academics, teachers and politicians attended the forum to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the Chinese education of today.

Among the participants were several of the reform-friendly and influential educators who have visited Denmark and with whom we at Learn For Life collaborate in the China Denmark Education Forum. Below we have made a short extract of some of the most important points from the meeting, as presented in a press release issued by the organizers.

It was agreed that the challenges have never been greater than now, when we live in a world where climate change, automation, AI, and international political unrest have reached new heights. There is a need to rethink the goals and quality of education.

Fewer tests, more well-being

An important topic on the debate was the significance of the term 'Double reduction' being abolished a few years ago. 'Double reduction' means the extra burdens that the children have been exposed to over many years in the terms of lots of homework and extra teaching after school. Instead, there has been undertaken initiatives with a focus on well-being, and this, together with the reduced workload, has meant greater satisfaction among the students.

Some of the participants believe that more focus needs to be given to talent development - not only in natural sciences, but also in the social sciences. Several participants also agree that the educational content is too far removed from practice and the real world.

Comprehensive high schools

In China, as well as in Denmark, it is a significant challenge that too few students choose a vocational education. Chinese parents still have a great influence on the young people's choice of education and the parents find no prestige in vocational education, and this despite the large number of unemployed academics. Some suggest an amalgamation of vocational schools and upper secondary schools into a kind of comprehensive upper secondary school, so there e.g. will be three high school systems: general high schools, comprehensive high schools with occupational characteristics, and high school vocational schools.

Need for a new approach to learning

The demographic development in China is a particular challenge in relation to a falling birth rate and an aging population. The number of school-age children has fallen significantly, and at the same time China is experiencing a surplus of highly educated talent and a shortage of basic labor. This calls for significant changes, and this must be undertaken by the political top level, believes Yang Dongping, who is one of the country's leading reform-friendly education experts.

According to Yang Dongping, China needs a new outlook on education, learning and students. There must be a focus on the whole person, long-term thinking, children must learn to learn, and they must be creative and better at acquiring the ability to develop rather than being pure 'exam machines'.