Amendment deliberated on Vocational Education Law

Chinese lawmakers are considering making vocational education and academic education equally important as the country aims to cultivate more high-skilled vocational talent.

The draft amendment to the nation's Vocational Education Law was presented on Monday to legislators for a first reading at the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress from Monday to Thursday.

Chen Baosheng, minister of education, said the draft stressed vocational education should focus on promoting employment and the country's vocational education system should feature industry and education integration, as well as cooperation between enterprises and schools.

The draft stipulated equal importance should be given to full-time school vocational education and job training. It required integration of vocational education and academic education, and building an integrated vocational education system covering different levels, Chen said.

It called for more autonomy to be given to vocational schools and stipulated they can set up majors and student training plans and select textbooks by themselves, he said.

The draft also called for better treatment and training to vocational school teachers, Chen said, adding it asked local governments to improve the funding mechanism for vocational schools.