China issues directives to promote AI education in primary and secondary schools

Children experience intelligent teaching devices in Hefei, province of Anhui on October 24, 2025. Photo: VCG

The Chinese Ministry of Education recently published two guidelines to promote the education of artificial intelligence (AI) in primary and secondary schools by building a general education system of AI on several levels, progressive and spiral, prohibiting students from independently using the generation of open content in primary schools and prohibiting teachers to use generation of generation open.

The publication of the two documents – The guidelines for general AI education in primary and secondary schools (2025) and the directives for the use of generating AI in primary and secondary schools (2025) – marks an important initiative for scientifically and systematic culture reported on Monday.
The guidelines for general AI education are aimed at establishing a complete and scientific AI education system, which focuses on the literacy of AI thanks to the adoption of a spiral study program designed to achieve the development of cognitive illumination to creative practice, CCTV reported.

At the primary level, the emphasis is placed on the interest and the construction of fundamental cognitive understanding. During the period of the undergraduate of secondary school, the formation of AI will strengthen the understanding of pupils of the technical principles and fundamental applications of the AI. At the higher level of high level, the emphasis is placed on the thought and innovation of systems.

According to the general education directives of AI, the objective is to cultivate the basic skills of students to adapt to an intelligent society, the AI ​​education system will cultivate talents with the literacy of AI characterized by an integrated development in terms of knowledge, skills, reflection and values ​​which includes the development of reflection on technological innovation, critical thinking, the magazine of human collaboration, Monday.
By implementing a coordinated mechanism involving “the restructuring of the curriculum, the integrated resources, the innovative assessment and the training of autonomous teachers”, this initiative aims to transform the education of the AI ​​of the pilots located in the implementation on a national scale, ultimately establishing a Chinese Style of AI style model for primary and secondary schools, ultimately reported CCTV.

The guidelines for the use of generating AI focus on practical applications in primary and secondary education, clearly specifying the standards of use for each educational step. They aim to ensure that technology is used safely, appropriately and efficiently to support teaching, promote personalized learning of students and advance intelligent education management, while strictly respecting data security and ethical standards, according to CCTV.

The guidelines stress that in primary and secondary schools, a generative AI must be used with strict guarantees for personal confidentiality and data security. Its potential must be fully used by a standardized and regulated application. At the primary level, students are prohibited from using independently open content generation tools, China Youth Daily reported on Monday.

The guidelines also emphasize that teachers should not use generative AI as a substitute for the main teaching role. Teachers are prohibited from counting directly on the AI ​​to answer students' questions or to consult. Teachers must avoid using content generated by AI to assess students and are strictly prohibited from entering sensitive data – such as personal information or exam questions – in AI tools, in order to prevent data violations and privacy violations, according to China Youth Daily.

The implementation of the two guidelines should improve the literacy of AI among primary and secondary students, deepen the integration of AI into education and stimulate innovation in teaching models. They aim to build a new educational ecosystem powered by AI which is safe, effective, equitable and inclusive, throwing a solid base to cultivate innovative talents in accordance with the development of the time, according to people's education.

Global times