President Xi urges support for vocational education

[TaiShang]

President Xi urges support for vocational education
CNTV

BEIJING, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday urged the nation to intensify its efforts to develop vocational education.

Xi said vocational education is an important part of both the national educational system and developing a skilled labor force, in an instruction to a two-day national work conference on vocational education, which was convened on Monday.

He stressed vocational education must be valued because it is an important path for young people to achieve success and could stimulate employment and start-ups as well as foster technical skills.

The president urged the nation to create an environment that will give full play to one's talent.

The nation should strive to nurture hundreds of millions of highly competent laborers and skilled technical workers, according to Xi.

He also emphasized that local governments should prioritize the development of a modern vocational education to facilitate the realization of the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.

 

[Edison Chen]

More than 600 college and universities will become vocational. When blue collar worker get higher payment, it means more respect to human skills and individuals. Why so many students would rather go to a 2nd tire college to study history or English and other useless majors, instead of Lanxiang Vocational School? Workers, service providers and business men need more respect, they should not be at the bottom of society. It's time to change the order of 士农工商.

 

[TaiShang]

I think that's really one of the keys for China's future national greatness and No. 1 position as a center of production and innovation.

We need doers; hard scientists and people who actually get their hands dirty and create something, fix something, or build something.

China should not become a land of lawyers and soft-scientists who produce nothing but hot rhetoric. I myself am a social scientist and hence I strive to climb to the top because the bottom is too crowded and most of us will be simply wasted. I think we need a handful of good strategists but a million of good engineers and mechanics.

 

[Aepsilons]

I think that's really one of the keys for China's future national greatness and No. 1 position as a center of production and innovation.

We need doers; hard scientists and people who actually get their hands dirty and create something, fix something, or build something.

China should not become a land of lawyers and soft-scientists who produce nothing but hot rhetoric. I myself am a social scientist and hence I strive to climb to the top because the bottom is too crowded and most of us will be simply wasted. I think we need a handful of good strategists but a million of good engineers and mechanics.

But don't forget the importance of arts and culture. A very good friend of mine, a Chinese history scholar and a post-doctoral researcher, is a visiting assistant professor at the university that i work at. His classes are usually filled to the brim; a lot of Americans love his 'China in films' class, and 'Chinese History: Western thought in China' class, too. We usually trade constructive ideas together and have attended each others' classes lol.

I think its important for more Chinese like him to not just be satisfied in a vocational job, but to ascend the pillars of academia and get Ph.D in history, natural sciences, social sciences, arts.

 

[TaiShang]

But don't forget the importance of arts and culture. A very good friend of mine, a Chinese history scholar and a post-doctoral researcher, is a visiting assistant professor at the university that i work at. His classes are usually filled to the brim; a lot of Americans love his 'China in films' class, and 'Chinese History: Western thought in China' class, too. We usually trade constructive ideas together and have attended each others' classes lol.

I think its important for more Chinese like him to not just be satisfied in a vocational job, but to ascend the pillars of academia and get Ph.D in history, natural sciences, social sciences, arts.

I just believe the number of soft scientists should never exceed to that of hard scientists. Sharing ideas and lingering in sweet talk shops are fun and cozy, but real world is more made up from hard steel and cool gadgets. A million innovative authors and poets will not make a slight difference if there is not two million innovative engineers and mechanics. Ivory towers are good for a bunch, just a bunch, not for the mass. The mass has to get their hands dirty and learn actual skill.

 

[Aepsilons]

I just believe the number of soft scientists should never exceed to that of hard scientists. Sharing ideas and lingering in sweet talk shops are fun and cozy, but real world is more made up from hard steel and cool gadgets. A million innovative authors and poets will not make a slight difference if there is not two million innovative engineers and mechanics. Ivory towers are good for a bunch, just a bunch, not for the mass. The mass has to get their hands dirty and learn actual skill.

LoL, i love that term "ivory tower". Well said message, my friend. I do agree with your point(s).

 

[Pakistanisage]

Excellent idea. Pakistan should do joint ventures with China in this field.

 

[TaiShang]

LoL, i love that term "ivory tower". Well said message, my friend. I do agree with your point(s).

I think Japan is an excellent case of a country of great engineers and hard scientists -- people of doing. I lament to be a soft-scientist and have huge respect to those who actually build/create something that becomes a major export item one day.

Social scientists are not useless, for sure, but, I guess because the number is artificially swollen, competition is cut-throat. One really needs to climb to the top to make a difference.

I would not underestimate the power of ideas (philosophical speculation), but, by nature, it is an elite business. When it is made available for the mass, the value of philosophizing drops dramatically.

 

[Aepsilons]

I think Japan is an excellent case of a country of great engineers and hard scientists -- people of doing. I lament to be a soft-scientist and have huge respect to those who actually build/create something that becomes a major export item one day.

Social scientists are not useless, for sure, but, I guess because the number is artificially swollen, competition is cut-throat. One really needs to climb to the top to make a difference.

I would not underestimate the power of ideas (philosophical speculation), but, by nature, it is an elite business. When it is made available for the mass, the value of philosophizing drops dramatically.

Agreed, there needs to be a balance of hard science with social science.

 

[dlclong]

To support the occupation education is very good,
But at present, occupation education spread in our country, a lot of occupation education school funding, equipment is backward, even the basic requirements of education are not up to the national requirements, there is great and the teacher strength. Some schools is defrauding the state grants and student tuition.
Education out of the students don't have much real skills. Not only a waste of their funds, but also delay their future, and the development strategy of the country.
Hope that as soon as possible to eliminate the unqualified occupation education school.

 

[Jlaw]

More than 600 college and universities will become vocational. When blue collar worker get higher payment, it means more respect to human skills and individuals. Why so many students would rather go to a 2nd tire college to study history or English and other useless majors, instead of Lanxiang Vocational School? Workers, service providers and business men need more respect, they should not be at the bottom of society. It's time to change the order of 士农工商.

Hopefully once they realize that you can't really make good money with an English degree, that will change. If Xi and the CPC are serious about this they can make it happen. We will wait in 5 years time to see if it made a difference.

 

[Edison Chen]

Hopefully once they realize that you can't really make good money with an English degree, that will change. If Xi and the CPC are serious about this they can make it happen. We will wait in 5 years time to see if it made a difference.

it is happening now, many college students of a bachelor degree of art go back to vocational school, even some brick-transport workers earn more than 10,000 RMB per month. Labor cost is rising only if one's skill worth that pay.

 

[TaiShang]

it is happening now, many college students of a bachelor degree of art go back to vocational school, even some brick-transport workers earn more than 10,000 RMB per month. Labor cost is rising only if one's skill worth that pay.

Good to know that people are digressing from liberal arts and especially from English.

Gone are the days when speaking English considered the golden key. Maybe some in Hong Kong still think in the same way. But, who cares, probably, their heads are already anglicized.

 

[Edison Chen]

Good to know that people are digressing from liberal arts and especially from English.

Gone are the days when speaking English considered the golden key. Maybe some in Hong Kong still think in the same way. But, who cares, probably, their heads are already anglicized.

Yes, English exam has less weighted average in Gaokao today, students also have multiple times of chance to take English exams in all year round, so they will have enough time to learn other useful courses without worrying about English.

 

[Aepsilons]

Yes, English exam has less weighted average in Gaokao today, students also have multiple times of chance to take English exams in all year round, so they will have enough time to learn other useful courses without worrying about English.

However, proficiency in English provides the basis for overseas professions for many Chinese.