Chen Baosheng attends 2021 G20 Education Ministers Meeting

On 22 June, the Group of Twenty (G20) Education Ministers Meeting was held via video conference. Minister of Education Chen Baosheng presented the Chinese government’s approaches and practices in addressing educational poverty, continuity and development in the post-COVID era.

Regarding educational poverty, Chen pointed out that providing universal access to quality education was key to eradicating poverty, a common challenge faced by the international community. He said that the Chinese government paid particular attention to tackling education poverty, recognizing education as a fundamental approach to preventing intergenerational transmission of poverty and eradicating poverty. Through the implementation of targeted assistance programs, China has achieved full coverage of compulsory education, resolving the long-standing issue of young students not attending or dropping out of school. 99.8% of compulsory education schools are equipped with modern infrastructure. All primary and secondary schools have internet access.

In terms of maintaining educational continuity, Chen said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, China"s Ministry of Education pressed ahead with educational reforms while coordinating efforts to control the pandemic in the education system. More than 22 million teachers from 500,000 schools offered classes to 200 million students online during the nationwide lockdown, safeguarding students’ right to education in the safety of their homes. The MOE trained teachers in the application of information technology in accordance with local conditions, guaranteeing the quality of education and teaching. Internet infrastructure was substantially improved and mobile phones or tablet computers were provided, which ensured that students in rural and remote areas had access to the Internet at home.

Chen said the Chinese government was ready to work in solidarity with other countries and play a greater role in promoting educational development post-COVID. He urged all nations to work together to deepen practical cooperation in the field of education, strive to reduce educational poverty and facilitate the modernization of education globally.