At the beginning of the autumn semester this year, over 1,400 primary and secondary schools in Beijing fully implemented general AI education courses, covering all 1.83 million students across the city. Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, introduced comprehensive general AI courses across all grade levels, with no less than 10 class hours per academic year. Tianjin launched its exclusive Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence course... The intensive rollout of these innovative measures signifies that general AI education in China's basic education stage has evolved from sparks of progress into a blazing trend.
As artificial intelligence reshapes production and lifestyles with unprecedented breadth and depth, how should basic education equip young people with the core competencies needed for the future? The Guide to General Artificial Intelligence Education for Primary and Secondary Schools (2025 Edition) provides a clear direction: advancing general AI education in primary and secondary schools is an important measure to align with the demands of the times and implement the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education. It is also a powerful tool for deepening educational reform, promoting students' well-rounded development, and a strategic pathway for accelerating educational modernization and building a strong nation in education and technology.
Addressing the pressing question of what role education should play in the age of intelligence, a key mission of general AI education is to accurately grasp the principles and methods of education in the intelligent era and cultivate future-oriented innovative talent. Today's primary and secondary school students are the creators of tomorrow and the new force in building a nation strong in science and technology. Observing global educational trends, balancing technological literacy with humanistic literacy has become a shared value in AI education. The AI Competency Framework for Students, released by UNESCO in 2024, explicitly proposes four competency dimensions: human-centered thinking, AI ethics, AI technologies and applications, and AI system design. These align closely with the four-in-one AI literacy framework—knowledge, skills, thinking, and values—outlined in China's Guide to General Artificial Intelligence Education for Primary and Secondary Schools (2025 Edition). This educational approach, which integrates ethical values throughout technological education, is not only a rational response to the cautious use of AI among younger students but also a timely answer to the fundamental educational question of what kind of people to cultivate.
Across the nation, general AI education in primary and secondary schools has entered an accelerated phase. For instance, the Ministry of Education selected 184 primary and secondary schools as AI education bases, further deepening the application of AI in education. It also conducted specialized training programs to enhance AI literacy among primary and secondary school teachers in central and western regions. These programs were broadcast live via the National Smart Education Platform, reaching over 310,000 key teachers across more than 3,200 sub-classrooms in these regions. A number of AI large-scale models have been applied in frontline educational scenarios, while smart education cloud platforms and AI classrooms are being widely implemented nationwide, injecting technological momentum into promoting educational equity and improving quality.
Advancing general AI education in primary and secondary schools is a systematic endeavor that requires seizing opportunities to move forward while respecting principles and progressing steadily. After years of practical exploration, general AI education in China's primary and secondary schools has achieved initial results but still faces certain shortcomings and deficiencies.
Currently, general AI education tends to emphasize skills over values, with insufficient attention paid to cultivating humanistic qualities such as critical thinking, digital responsibility, and ethical awareness. It must be recognized that while the forms, methods, and tools of education are evolving in the age of artificial intelligence, the mission and direction of education remain unchanged. It is essential to strengthen value guidance in curriculum design and teaching implementation, organically combining technological application with humanistic spirit. This will help students correctly navigate the relationships between humans, technology, and society, foster scientific interest and spirit, and enhance digital literacy and skills.
Surveys show that the uniformity of curriculum standards, the scientific arrangement of teaching content, and the coherence of transitions between educational stages vary across regions. A spiral curriculum system of basic cognition—technological understanding—innovative application—ethical reflection should be developed based on students' cognitive development patterns. Standards for transitioning between educational stages should be established, and cross-stage teaching research communities should be formed to ensure the scientific rigor and coherence of AI literacy education in primary and secondary schools.
Additionally, the current evaluation system is relatively one-dimensional, often prioritizing results over processes and knowledge over competencies, making it difficult to effectively assess students' digital literacy, innovative abilities, and ethical understanding. To address this, a diversified evaluation system should be developed, combining process-based and competency-based assessments. This will guide teaching reforms through scientific evaluation and shift AI education from knowledge transmission to competency cultivation.
Enhancing teachers' AI literacy is a long-term process that requires the establishment of more systematic training mechanisms. Drawing inspiration from Singapore's National AI Strategy, AI literacy enhancement could be integrated into mandatory teacher training content. The entire chain of teacher development—pre-service training—induction training—in-service improvement—should be refined to elevate teaching standards. Collaborative training mechanisms and resource-sharing systems involving universities, enterprises, and schools should be established. Through targeted support and resource allocation, more teachers in central and western regions can be empowered to improve their AI literacy. Teachers should be encouraged to leverage AI to optimize teaching, innovate in teaching research, and reform evaluations, continuously enhancing their teaching initiative and enthusiasm.
It must be acknowledged that during the digital transformation of education, disparities exist in hardware facilities and digital resource development across regions, between urban and rural areas, and among schools. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, increased investment in infrastructure in rural and remote areas is essential. Simultaneously, the resource integration and sharing functions of the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools should be strengthened. Through initiatives like cloud classrooms, technological advancements can illuminate every classroom, ensuring that all students, regardless of location, have access to fairer and higher-quality education.
The widespread adoption of general AI education is crucial for the quality of future talent cultivation, the progress of educational modernization, and the nation's competitiveness and future. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, efforts should focus on improving collaboration mechanisms among families, schools, and society. Research institutions and high-tech enterprises should be encouraged to participate in curriculum development, teacher training, and resource building, creating a joint force for AI education. At the same time, practical bases should be established through school-enterprise cooperation, utilizing technologies like virtual simulation to create diverse and rich practical scenarios for students. This will facilitate the effective translation of theoretical knowledge into practical abilities, transforming the variable of technological advancement into an increment in educational development. Looking ahead, general AI education in primary and secondary schools must not only keep pace with technological iterations but also uphold the essence of education. By strengthening the synergy between technological education and humanistic education, a developmental framework for young people in the digital age can be constructed.
Author's Biography: Wu Xili is a professor at South China University of Technology.
Source: Guangming Daily
