The Ministry of Education and Training announced on May 7 an action programme for the 2011-2016 period with a focus on education reform.

The programme aims at comprehensively reforming the entire education system based on modern criteria.

As a result, eleven major tasks have been laid out, including reforming education management, improving the quality of teachers and education managers; and renovating curriculum and teacher training methods.

Other tasks include intensifying scientific research and training, adopting new technology, IT training; increasing support for education and training in disadvantaged areas and places which are home to ethnic minority people; and enhancing the efficiency of international co-operation in education.

By 2015, the country intends to reduce the malnutrition rate among preschool students to less than 10%.

The country will strive to bring full-day education to 70% of primary students nationwide and bring the number of tertiary students to 300 per 10,000 residents during the period.

The number of trained workers is expected to account for 50% of the country’s labour force by 2015.

Tertiary training programmes will also be reformed in light of the market demand while universities and colleges will be granted more autonomy in developing their training programmes.

Under the plan, all university will have to switch to credit-based programmes by 2015.