Dharamshala — The Ministry of Education of China and other 10 departments jointly issued a document to comprehensively promote the construction of "big ideology class" of President Xi Jinping's thoughts on politics, military, foreign affairs, economy, social and education in schools, colleges and universities. They said that education centres were not doing enough to promote Xi Jinping's ideas and that they would strengthen these ideas more strictly.
The Ministry of Education, and other 10 departments issued a work programme on August 24, 2022, to comprehensively promote the construction of "Big Thinking and politics class", which requires the full mobilisation of all social forces and resources.
“Some places and schools do not pay enough attention to the construction of "big thinking and politics class", the curriculum and teaching materials system needs to be further improved, the number of teachers in some schools is not enough, the quality is not high, not enough attention is paid to practical teaching, some classroom teaching is not integrated with reality, and some schools and universities do not have enough teachers,” the document mentioned.
“To comprehensively promote the construction of the "big thinking class", we must adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era,” it said.
“All colleges and universities offer "Introduction to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" class. The Central Propaganda Department and the Ministry of Education prepared the textbook of the Introduction to Xi Jinping's Socialist Thought with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The Ministry of Education has implemented major special projects for the study of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” the document explained.
“All local schools to strengthen the core content of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a new era curriculum group construction, the formation of mandatory courses plus elective course curriculum system. Colleges and universities should coordinate the strength of the whole school, combined with their own reality, focusing on Xi Jinping economic thought, Xi Jinping rule of law thought, Xi Jinping ecological civilization thought, Xi Jinping strong military thought, Xi Jinping diplomatic thought,” it said.
"The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Central Internet Information Office and other organisations, is conducting publicity activities on the theme of the “big Thinking and Politics class” network, encouraging teachers and students to create microfilms, animations, music, short videos, etc, based on the content of the Thinking and Politics class, and to build up the sharing of resources, online interaction, publicity of the network, etc,” the document mentioned.
"All local schools strictly comply with the requirements to build a strong team of full-time teachers and counselors in universities, improve the proportion of full-time teachers of civic education in primary and secondary schools, the implementation of special teachers and part-time teachers in civic education, and actively employ party and government leaders, scientists, former comrades and advanced models as part-time teachers of civic education," it said.
“A series of seminars will be held to introduce Xi Jinping's thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era into teaching materials,” the document added.
The Ministry of Education has set up comprehensive reform pilot zones in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Jiangxi, Shaanxi and other places around the main themes of reform and innovation of the civics course, such as practical teaching, teacher team building, integration of the civics course in universities, schools and colleges.
"A number of model colleges and universities are built, a number of model curriculum and political thinking courses are launched, a number of famous curriculum and political thinking professors and teaching teams are selected, and a number of model curriculum and political thinking teaching and research centres in colleges and universities are built,” it said.
“The party secretary and the principal of the school should teach the "big thinking and politics class" in the opening and graduation ceremonies and other important occasions,” it mentioned.
The document also mentions that the Central Propaganda Department should publicise the Big Thinking Class" through all media and newspapers.
