The following Chinese Ministry of Education guide offers best practices for generative AI adoption in primary and secondary schools. Rather than emphasizing training students for future careers in AI, or raising children’s overall AI literacy, the guide aims to encourage schools to use generative AI in ways that complement existing approaches to teaching and administration, while avoiding potential harms such as plagiarism and cheating.

An archived version of the Chinese source text is available online at:    https://perma.cc/Y48E-AG55

Guide to Using Generative Artificial Intelligence in Primary and Secondary Schools (2025 Edition)

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) refers to models and related technology that have the ability to generate text, graphics, audio, video, and other content. The rational integration of GenAI into primary and secondary education is an important practice for seizing opportunities in the new round of science and technology (S&T) revolution and responding to the national strategy of self-reliance in S&T. It is a key path for stimulating students’ creative potential and improving the quality of education, and a core support for forging future-oriented innovative capabilities and promoting the integration of education and technological development. This guide is hereby formulated in order to promote the safe and standardized use of GenAI in primary and secondary education, accelerate the construction of an innovation-based education ecosystem led by AI, and help raise the overall efficiency of the national innovation system.

I. Guiding Ideology

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deeply implementing the spirit of the 20th Party Congress and the Third Plenum of the 20th Central Committee, fully carrying out the requirements documents such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee and State Council’s Outline of the Plan for the Construction of China into an Education Powerhouse (2024–2035)¹ and the Office of the Ministry of Education’s Notice on Strengthening Artificial Intelligence Education in Primary and Secondary Schools,² and firmly grasping the fundamental task of cultivating moral people (立德树人), we shall adapt to the trends of the intelligence age, take the multimodal creation and intelligent generation capabilities of GenAI as drivers of innovation, take the enhancement of students’ core competencies and ethical responsibility as the guiding principle, place equal emphasis on stimulating creative potential and well-regulated application, and promote the deep integration of GenAI with primary and secondary school education and teaching, so as to build a safe, efficient, fair, and inclusive new ecosystem for AI education, and provide strong support for the cultivation of outstanding innovative talent and the enhancement of national competitiveness in the new era, thereby laying a solid foundation for advancing educational modernization and building China into an education powerhouse.³

II. Principles of Application

Remain focused on training and strengthen competency-based education. Adhere to the principle of training as the foundation and technology as a tool, and as students use GenAI technology, guide them to develop values, essential qualities, and key abilities adapted to development in the intelligence age.

Adhere to educational equity and respect student differences. For the cognitive levels of students at different educational stages, clarify the boundaries for using GenAI tools. Ensure that technological tools benefit different regions and individuals equally, and provide barrier-free services for special needs groups with physical or cognitive disabilities.

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1. Translator’s note: CSET’s English translation of the Outline of the Plan for the Construction of China into an Education Powerhouse (2024-2035) is available online at: https://cset.georgetown.edu/publication/china-education-powerhouse-plan-2024-2035/.
2. Translator’s note: CSET’s English translation of the Notice of the Office of the Ministry of Education on Strengthening Artificial Intelligence Education in Primary and Secondary Schools is available online at: https://cset.georgetown.edu/publication/china-primary-secondary-ai-education-notice/.
3. Translator’s note: This translation renders the Chinese word 强国 qiángguó—which literally means “strong nation”—in English as “powerhouse,” as in the phrase “education powerhouse” (教育强国). For a more thorough discussion in English of the Chinese word qiángguó, see: https://www.newamerica.org/cybersecurity-initiative/digichina/blog/lexicon-wangluo-qiangguo/.