China to Teach AI to Students Starting in Primary and Secondary Schools

China is promoting artificial intelligence (AI) education at primary and secondary levels amid a complex "tech war" and a growing demand for AI talent.

China will introduce artificial intelligence into the high school curriculum - Photo: SCMP

China is calling on primary and secondary schools to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into their curriculum, aiming to nurture a new generation of young talent in the field.

This is part of Beijing's strategy to meet future innovation workforce needs and enhance students' digital skills and problem-solving abilities.

Ambition to lead the world in AI

Since 2018, more than 500 universities and colleges in China have launched artificial intelligence majors, after the government announced plans to become a world leader in AI.

The move comes amid an escalating tech war between China and the US, along with the proliferation of AI tools like ChatGPT in everyday life.

China's Ministry of Education stressed that AI courses need to be rolled out "systematically" and become a criterion for evaluating school quality.

Accordingly, primary school students need to be familiar with and form basic ideas about AI; middle school students are required to understand and apply this technology; meanwhile, high school students will focus on innovative projects that apply AI.

In addition, the Ministry of Education also requires schools to promote "project-based learning" and integrate AI into computer science subjects and extracurricular activities. At the same time, teachers also need to be trained to meet new teaching requirements.

Pilot and practical implementation

This is the first time China has set a clear target for AI education in its primary and secondary school systems. In February this year, 184 schools across the country were selected to participate in a pilot program for AI education.

In Beijing, Hongzhi High School — one of six schools participating in the AI ​​pilot program — has invited scholars from top universities to give speeches and received AI equipment donations from US tech companies like Intel and Hewlett-Packard.

The school also uses AI software to help students practice English, help teachers edit text, and support physical education, such as counting push-ups or measuring long jump distance.

Questions about teaching quality

According to SCMP , many parents expressed doubts about the quality of AI training in schools.

"My child's school doesn't even teach computer science, let alone artificial intelligence," said Zhou Jingjing, a parent of a fifth-grader at a top public school in Beijing.

Although primary and secondary schools in China have been required to teach computer science since 2000, Zhou's child's school has yet to launch any AI courses.

Ms. Zhou said that in her weekly computer science class, students just watch Scratch programming tutorial videos without practicing on the computer. "No one learns programming just by watching videos. It's a waste of time," Ms. Zhou said.

Dong Chen, another parent in Shanghai, said his daughter is studying C++ programming at a top high school.

However, the school does not yet have an official AI class.

“If you really want to learn, you can’t rely on schools. AI isn’t a subject on the entrance exam, so schools don’t have a strong incentive to teach it,” Dong Chen said.

An inherent problem in China's education system is an over-focus on exam subjects, while other areas are often "neglected," according to Xiong Bingqi, director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute in Beijing.

"We can only improve AI education by reforming the education assessment system and focusing more on students' learning experience," Xiong said.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/trung-quoc-day-ve-ai-cho-hoc-sinh-ngay-tu-tieu-hoc-va-trung-hoc-20241215195655991.htm