Implementing the Initiative to Foster Virtue Through Education for the New Era

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasised at the National Conference on Education the importance of unswervingly using the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to educate people, and implementing the initiative to foster virtue through education for the new era.

Fostering virtue through education bears on providing qualified successors for the Party’s cause and determines the future and destiny of the nation. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed at the National Conference on Education the importance of unswervingly using the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to educate people, and implementing the initiative to foster virtue through education for the new era. His important speech provides fundamental guidance and clarifies the direction for us in solidly fulfilling the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, as well as in providing a firm answer to the fundamental issue of education “What kind of talent we should cultivate, how, and for whom”.

It’s imperative to unswervingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to educate people, and guide young students to stay devoted to contributing to the country and strengthening the country and to strive courageously with a greater sense of responsibility. The goal of building a leading country in education is to nurture generations of capable young people with sound moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigour, aesthetic sensibility and work skills, who are builders of socialism and will carry forward the socialist cause, and cultivate generations of talent who can shoulder heavy tasks and responsibilities, ensuring qualified successors to carry forward the cause of the Party and the construction of a great modern socialist country in all respects. Young people are in the most urgent need of careful guidance and cultivation, and the leadership and inspiration of powerful ideological strength are of the greatest significance to them. We must earnestly promote the integration of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era into textbooks, ensure that it can play a role in class, and become a conscientious guide for action. We should offer and deliver the high-quality course “Introduction to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era”, strengthen systematic, academic and theoretical research and interpretation of the Party’s new theories, and apply the outcomes in education and teaching practices. This will help students clarify their aspirations with profound thought, and illuminate their path forward with the light of truth.

It’s imperative to strengthen and improve ideological and political education in schools in the new era, forging key courses to implement the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education. The essence of school ideological and political work is to shape individuals, and it must always revolve around, care for, and serve students. Fostering virtue through education should be integrated into every aspect of school operation and governance, imparting knowledge and educating people. It is essential to introduce integrated development of the political education curriculum at all levels, from elementary school to university, educating and guiding young students to strengthen their belief in Marxism, conviction in socialism with Chinese characteristics and confidence in realising national rejuvenation. We must adapt to circumstances, keep pace with the times, and innovate based on emerging trends, gaining a deep understanding of long-established regular patterns. This includes introducing integrated reforms and new approaches in the political education curriculum at all levels, from elementary school to university, building a series of “Grand Ideological and Political Courses” brands, and continuously enhancing the thoughtfulness, theoretical depth, appeal and relevance of these courses. We must continue to advance the transformation of educational concepts and methods, promoting the integrated connection of value education, technology and humanities education, and education in the five sectors of sound moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigour, aesthetic sensibility, and work skills. We should further refine systems and mechanisms that support holistic education, spanning all personnel, the entire process, and every aspect of schooling, to build a new pattern for fostering virtue through education on the new journey of the new era, creating a powerful synergy in educating students.

It’s imperative to consciously use the successful cases of the great transformation of the new era, and fully tap the revolutionary resources in education, and make efforts to strengthen practice-based and online education. The Party’s century-long history of struggles and successes serves as the best textbook for ideological and political education in schools for the new era. With the Party’s great practices as materials, we should bring to life the “Great Practical Course” of the new era, and fully utilise the achievements of theoretical explorations, relentless struggles, and efforts to benefit the people, which are made in building socialism with Chinese characteristics for the new era, to educate and encourage people. The students should be guided to summarise historical lessons, enhance their sense of historical initiative, and strengthen their historical confidence, while drawing powerful spiritual strength from the Party’s struggles and successes in the new era. We must tap into and integrate revolutionary resources, expand the connotations of revolutionary culture so that the red heritage can become a vivid foundation for fostering virtue through education. New media and technology should be employed to enliven this work, promoting the deep integration of traditional strengths in ideological and political education with information technology, enhancing its contemporary relevance and appeal. In doing so, we can turn the internet, the biggest variable，into the greatest increment for the development of our cause.

It’s imperative to promote the use of standard Chinese language to forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. The standard Chinese language is one of the significant symbols of the shared identity of the Chinese nation, representing a cultural emblem and image shared by the Chinese nation. It serves as the cultural gene that forges a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. We must further elevate our political awareness and unwaveringly promote the use of the standard Chinese language, carry forward and develop the fine Chinese language and culture. This will encourage exchanges, interactions and integration among people of all ethnic groups, helping them get closely united like the seeds of a pomegranate that stick together, promoting common prosperity and development of all ethnic groups, and working together with unity to form a mighty force for the realisation of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

The National Conference on Education has sounded a resounding call to make solid progress toward building China into a leading country in education, pointing a clear direction for us to advance the strategic tasks and major initiatives of this endeavour. We must keep in mind the mission of cultivating talent for the Party and the country, nurture the root and soul of our country, and enlighten those we teach with wisdom. We must guide young students to unwaveringly follow the instructions and guidance of the Party, striving to grow into a new generation capable of shouldering the mission of national rejuvenation, and working hard to realise the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

Source: China Education Daily, 15 September 2024