The foundation of these efforts has consisted of legal mandates, financial and policy support, and initiatives aimed at capacity building and exchange between more and less developed regions. From the introduction of the Compulsory Education Law in 1986 and its latest amendment in 2018 to recent efforts to improve infrastructure in rural schools, efforts to increase participation have been paying off.

The completion rate for children in China's nine-year compulsory education system reached 96.1 percent in 2025, with the enrollment rate of primary school-aged children at 99.9 percent. Outside of compulsory education, enrollment last year reached 92 percent for senior high school-aged children and 92.9 percent for preschoolers. Currently, there are 430,000 primary and secondary schools and kindergartens in China, serving 220 million students and supported by 15.77 million teachers.

These key indicators have already reached the average levels of high-income countries and are still improving. A targeted assistance system for vulnerable groups, including the children of migrant workers and children with disabilities, has contributed not only to the improvement of these volume metrics, but also to the standard of education these students receive.

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), China will continue to upgrade its education system and promote high-quality, well-balanced development of compulsory education. Remaining priorities include increasing the speed with which China's education resource allocation adapts to changes in birth rates and migration trends; continuing to eliminate gaps between urban and rural areas, regions and different schools; improving students' physical fitness and mental health and protecting eyesight; making education more inclusive; and ensuring AI enters teaching and learning in beneficial, healthy and secure ways.

Improvements in access to and quality of education have not only changed the destinies of countless individuals, but also contributed to the stability and progress of society as a whole. Ongoing reform will ensure education continues to grow into a main driver of China's long-term development.