The Ministry of Education ("MOE") has recently issued the Guiding Opinions on Formulation and Execution of Specialized Talent Training Programs by Vocational Schools (the "Opinions"), immediately effective from the date of issuance.
The Opinions clearly state that adequate general foundation courses shall be offered in strict accordance with relevant state provisions, and specialized (skill) courses shall be set up scientifically. Further, the Opinions state that vocational schools are encouraged to convert the relevant vocational skill level certificates obtained by students that are widely acknowledged in the industries and by enterprises or relevant technical skills they have mastered, correspondingly into the credits for their academic education under certain rules. Also, schools are encouraged to take active part in piloting the "one academic certificate plus multiple vocational skill level certificates" system (known as the "1+X certificates" system), organically incorporate relevant contents and requirements set out in vocational skill level standards into their teaching activities for specialized courses, optimize their specialized talent training programs, and simultaneously participate in the pilot scheme on national "credit banks" for vocational education. Moreover, the Opinions call for maintaining a tough control over graduation, ensuring students have completed classes of the required hours, gained enough credits, and passed the compulsory teaching processes, upon graduation, organizing graduation exams (assessment) according to actual situations for each major, and eradicating the "final clear examination" mechanism (under which students will be given an opportunity shortly before graduation to sit for supplementary-type examinations for courses they have failed to get through).