Monday, January 5, 2009

Chinese premier urges "practical" education to benefit poor, migrants

BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Chinese media) -- Premier Wen Jiabao

has called for China's education policy makers to develop practical schemes to

ensure that the poor have equal access to education.



In a just-released speech Wen delivered at a meeting

of the State Council, or the cabinet, in late August, which is to be published

by the People's Daily on Monday, he urged policy makers to take into account

regional economic imbalances and income differentials between urban residents

and farmers, which existed despite the country's tremendous economic

achievements.

Education policies should be based on realities and

reflect thefairly low level of per capita income, he said.

Wealth disparities, developmental imbalances between

urban and rural areas and the huge rural migrant population should all be

considered when forming education policies, he told the meeting, which approved

a 12-year education plan (2009-2020).

Education has a "far-reaching impact" and serves as

the "cornerstone" of national development, according to the released version of

the speech.

To address current economic challenges and tackle

structural economic problems, the country must rely on scientific and

technological progress and raising the quality of the workforce, Wen said.

To ensure that people have equal access to education

is in the public interest and in line with the demands of economic and social

development, he said.

Wen urged policy-makers to carry out "systematic" and

"consistent" education reform and called for pilot programs to test the

feasibility of education plans.

He also urged to build a modern education system with

Chinese characteristics that would integrate world-class education concepts.

Other factors to be considered in education plans

should be thedemographic, industrial and employment structures, according to

Wen.

Wen also stressed that vocational education was

crucial for economic development and job-creation, as China was in dire need of

workers with practical skills.

He said: "Currently, the country should arrange the

scale and subjects of vocational education in line with social demand."

In China, students can go to vocational schools to

learn specialized trades. Such graduates are popular with employers, as they

have practical skills and usually demand lower wages than people with college

degrees. But they don't have high social status.

Wen said such prejudices should be discarded, and

society should raise the salaries and social status of vocational workers.

As for teaching system reform, Wen said curriculums

should reflect the students' abilities and social needs, while reducing their

study burdens.

"Our main teaching method is still 'instill' instead

of 'inspire.' Teachers should teach students to think, live and get along with

others, in addition to knowledge. That is the aim of our education reform."

Wen also addressed key issues including college

education, the school system, teacher development and educational investment.

The 12-year education plan, which Wen called "a tough

mission,"was drawn up in consultation with experts and reflected advice from

school officials, teachers, students and parents.





Premier urges scientists to help fight

global financial crisis




BEIJING, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- "Our confidence to face the global financial crisis

should rely on science, knowledge and talented people," Chinese Premier Wen

Jiabao said Saturday.



He made the remark during a visit to Beijing-based

Zhongguancun Science Park, known as China's Silicon Valley. Full story

Premier reassures university students

on jobs amid financial crisis



BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Chinese media) -- Chinese Premier

Wen Jiabao has pledged to university students that the government would seek to

provide more jobs for graduates and "put the issue of graduate employment

first."



"Your difficulties are my difficulties, and if you are

worried, I am more worried than you," Wen told the students at the Beijing

University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Full story



Premier Wen: China can keep steady

economic growth by overcoming financial crisis



FUKUOKA, Japan, Dec. 14 (Chinese media) -- China can not only

maintain a steady and relatively fast economic growth through efforts and

getting over difficulties, but also elevate its economy to a new level by

overcoming the ongoing financial crisis, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said here

Saturday.Full story



Premier Wen urges firms to keep

confidence amid turmoil

















Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) talks

with workers of the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in

Shanghai, east China Nov. 22, 2008. Wen Jiabao made an inspection tour of

Shanghai Municipality and Zhejiang Province from Nov. 21 to Nov. 23,

2008.(Chinese media Photo)
Photo

Gallery



BEIJING, Nov. 23 (Chinese media) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao

called on domestic companies to pump up confidence in coping with the global

financial crisis during his inspection of enterprises in eastern Shanghai and

Zhejiang Province from Friday to Sunday.



Wen said buoying up their confidence was "a powerful

weapon to deal with the adverse effects of the global economic turbulence and

financial turmoil" when inspecting local private enterprises and large-scale

companies.Full story

Chinese premier wants to accelerate

post-quake reconstruction



BEIJING, Nov. 17 (Chinese media) -- Accelerating reconstruction

work is the top priority in quake-affected areas, said Chinese Premier Wen

Jiabao during his visit over the weekend to Sichuan Province.



He told villagers in Anxian County on Sunday that the

government would strengthen support to farmers to help them rebuild their houses

within two years, instead of three years as was the original schedule.Full

story

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