China's vocational institutions train 130m in 19 years

BEIJING -- More than 130 million people have graduated from vocational schools and colleges in China since a law on vocational education was promulgated in September 1996, the top legislator said in a report Monday.

Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, the top legislature, said in a report delivered to the ongoing bimonthly session of the legislature, that China had about 13,300 vocational schools and colleges, with 30 million students.

In 2014, there were about 18 million students in vocational schools, compared with 12.7 million in 1996, according to the report.

In 2014, there were 10 million students enrolled at vocational colleges, an increase from 1.23 million in 1996, according to the report.

Zhang said vocational schools and colleges were the main training ground for technical workers.

Zhang headed a team to inspect the enforcement of the law on vocational education in six provinces, and Chongqing municipality and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from March to May to strengthen the implementation of the law and boost the development of vocational education, according to the report.

The inspectors, who were divided into four groups, held seminars on how to improve teaching, with headmasters, teachers and human resources officials at about 70 institutions, training centers and enterprises.

This was the first time the NPC Standing Committee had organized a law enforcement inspection since the law took effect, the report said.

The bimonthly session runs from June 24 to July 1.