Five Chinese Government Departments Launch an 'AI + Education' Initiative Requiring Full Inclusion of AI Education in Local Curricula

In April, China's Ministry of Education, National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, and National Data Administration issued the 'AI + Education' Action Plan. The document proposes building a general AI education system covering all stages of education and society by 2030.

The explicit change for primary and secondary schools is that AI education must be fully incorporated into local curriculum systems. Localities need to develop curriculum guidelines and define goals, content, and instructional-time requirements by school stage. Courses may also enter after-school services and study tours, while rural and remote schools may rely on the national platform to offer them.

Local education authorities now need to turn these principles into timetables, teaching materials, staffing, and assessment methods. Follow-up should focus on provincial and municipal curriculum guidelines, actual instructional time, teacher-training coverage, admission of intelligent education products, and whether urban and rural resources are implemented together.