China Mandates AI Education for Elementary and Middle School Students

Nationwide AI Curriculum Rollout

China's Ministry of Education (MoE) has mandated the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) courses into the information technology curriculum for elementary and middle school students across the country. This significant educational reform officially began with the fall semester on September 1, 2025, following detailed implementation plans launched in July 2025. The initiative is part of China's broader strategy to cultivate innovative talent and strengthen its position in the global AI industry.

The mandate builds upon the MoE's 'Guidance on Strengthening AI Education in Primary and Secondary Schools' issued in November 2024, and aligns with the 'Outline of a Plan for Building China into a Leading Country in Education 2024-2035' released in January 2025. Education Minister Huai Jinpeng has referred to AI as the 'golden key' to the nation's educational future.

Tiered Learning and Curriculum Focus

The new curriculum establishes a tiered AI education system designed to guide students from foundational cognitive awareness to practical technological innovation across primary, junior high, and senior high schools. Schools are required to provide a minimum of eight class hours of AI instruction per academic year in Beijing, while cities like Hangzhou mandate at least 10 class hours annually.

The curriculum content is structured to be age-appropriate:

• Primary School: Focuses on AI literacy, basic technologies such as voice recognition and image classification, daily AI uses, privacy, and hands-on experiences with basics, data, and coding.
• Middle School: Students will delve deeper into AI logic, machine learning processes, critical thinking to identify misinformation in generative AI outputs, data preparation, model training, and the core principles behind algorithms.
• High School: Emphasizes applied innovation, designing and refining AI algorithm models, and cultivating interdisciplinary systems thinking and AI design skills.

The courses can be delivered as standalone subjects or integrated into existing disciplines like information technology and science.

Goals and Ethical Considerations

The overarching goal of this initiative is to enhance China's competitiveness by securing a future pool of skilled professionals and accelerating the nation's digital economy. President Xi Jinping emphasized AI education as fundamental to educational reform during a Politburo meeting in April 2025.

The MoE has also released guidelines for the use of generative AI by primary and secondary students, which include prohibitions on students submitting AI-generated content as academic work or examination responses. Teachers are also prohibited from using generative AI as a substitute for their primary teaching role. Emphasis is placed on the responsible and ethical use of AI, alongside the importance of protecting privacy. To support this transition, the MoE plans to integrate AI-enabled teaching competencies into the teacher training framework. Currently, 184 schools have been designated as pilot institutions for AI programs, serving as models for the nationwide rollout.