China News Service, Beijing, February 2 (Zhang Yuhui) In late January, the local two sessions were held intensively. "One elder and one child" has always been a hot topic in people's livelihood at the local two sessions. At the provincial two sessions in 2024, childcare, education, and elderly care will still be common words in government work reports and hot topics discussed by representatives and committee members.
On January 23, the second session of the 14th Fujian Provincial People's Congress opened in Fuzhou. Photo by China News Service reporter Zhang Bin
What is the goal of "Children's Care"?
Reduce the burden of childbearing and increase the supply of child care services
At this year's provincial two sessions, the implementation of fertility support policies and the improvement of supporting measures were the focus of local government work reports. The implementation and improvement of the three-child policy are still in progress.
In terms of fertility support, Anhui proposed to implement fertility support policies to reduce the burden of fertility, parenting, and education. Liaoning also proposed to improve fertility support policies and continue to reduce the costs of childbirth, parenting, and education.
In terms of maternity security, Guangdong has proposed to provide 588,000 pregnant women with free prenatal screening for thalassemia, Down syndrome, and severe structural malformations that can lead to death and disability. In the form of public welfare donations, more than 1,700 registered child care institutions in the province have purchased accident liability insurance for infants and young children in child care.
Representatives and committee members also had something to say about improving supporting measures for childbearing, increasing the supply of childcare services, and exploring a childbearing-friendly society.
Yuan Mang, a member of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and secretary of the party committee of provincial kindergartens, suggested that kindergartens with qualified conditions should establish an orderly and connected "integrated child care" service system. Wang Shaoyun, deputy to the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region People's Congress and secretary of the Party Committee of Yinchuan No. 9 Middle School, suggested encouraging and supporting existing kindergartens to expand and extend their functions, and suggested that qualified kindergartens open nursery classes to provide nursery services for infants and young children under 3 years old.
Zhao Benquan, a member of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chairman of the Dazhou Women's Federation, suggested that the quality of childcare be steadily improved by strengthening the construction of a talent team of childcare workers and childcare teachers, improving the professional title promotion system, and strengthening the monitoring and evaluation of the service quality of childcare institutions. , to meet parents’ needs for professional, scientific, quality and reliable childcare services.
Inside a childcare institution in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Photo by Zhang Yuhuan
What’s the progress of “learning to teach”?
Promote the "double reduction" work to improve the quality of basic education and achieve results
The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed that education, science and technology, and talents are the basic and strategic support for comprehensively building a modern socialist country. Education is indispensable in the list of people's livelihood in various places. In 2023, all provinces delivered outstanding results in promoting “learning and teaching”.
In the government work report, Beijing mentioned that the introduction of inclusive childcare policies has resulted in more than 6,000 new kindergarten spaces, and the coverage rate of inclusive kindergartens has reached 93%; 38,000 new primary and secondary school places have been added, and the "compulsory education school" has been realized. Hand in hand" pairing is fully covered, and a new round of high school entrance examination reform plans are released and implemented; the classified development of municipal colleges and universities is accelerated.
Guangdong mentioned that it has vigorously promoted the basic education quality improvement project, successfully run the "three schools" in townships and county high schools, and added more than 60,000 public places for preschool education, more than 300,000 public places for compulsory education, and more than 50,000 public places for general high schools. Ten thousand people, and 3.65 million people have been enrolled in compulsory education steadily, reaching a new high in recent years.
Since the implementation of the "double reduction" policy, various localities have strictly implemented it and achieved a series of substantial results. In the fourth year of the implementation of the “double reduction” policy, this hot word, which has a profound impact on the field of basic education, still appears in provincial government work reports and bills proposed by representative members.
Sichuan's government work report mentioned that 4,892 primary and secondary schools (kindergartens) and 4,352 teaching points have been optimized and adjusted, "super large class sizes" have been completely eliminated, and the "double reduction" work has achieved phased results. Construction of 200 public kindergartens began.
Chen Limin, a member of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, principal and deputy secretary of the Party Committee of Hangzhou No. 14 Middle School, said that the general direction of double reduction is undoubtedly very good, but the key is how to truly implement it. He called on parents to gradually change their minds and not simply evaluate a child's development prospects based on scores.
Inside a senior care service center in Linyi, Shandong. Photo by Sun Lei
What are the new strategies for “having a secure pension”?
Develop community elderly care and promote long-term care insurance
In addition to "little", the topic of "old" is also a major focus. Recently, the General Office of the State Council issued the "Opinions on Developing the Silver Economy to Improve the Well-Being of the Elderly", which is my country's first policy document named after the "Silver Economy". In recent years, new professions under the aging trend, such as medical attendants, bath assistants, and age-appropriate modification evaluators, have emerged one after another. New economic and social methods to serve the elderly have appeared frequently, reflecting society's continuous attention to the silver-haired group. promote.
At this year's Two Sessions in various provinces, representatives and committee members actively offered suggestions for the elderly care industry, and proposals such as community elderly care, integrated medical care and elderly care, and long-term care insurance funds emerged.
Ye Kaiying, a representative of the Guizhou Provincial People's Congress, secretary of the Party branch and director of the neighborhood committee of Huanxi Community in Guanxi Road Street, Wudang District, Guiyang City, said that institutional care, community care, and family care are the current main forms of care. Among them, institutional elderly care requires relatively good economic conditions, while family elderly care requires family members to spend more thought and energy. In comparison, community elderly care is a warmer and more convenient way of caring for the elderly.
Ding Banghan, member of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and director of the emergency department of the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, suggested strengthening the funding guarantee for the integrated medical and nursing care service system, coordinating special funds for senior care, medical care and medical insurance, and adding government financial allocations, some basic medical insurance funds and pension insurance subsidies to Integrated, as long-term care insurance benefits for seniors.
Actively developing the elderly care industry has also been listed as a policy priority for many provinces this year. Promoting the goal of "enabled care for the elderly" frequently appears in provincial government work reports.
The work report of the Liaoning Provincial Government mentioned that 15,000 families of elderly people with special needs will be renovated to make them suitable for aging, and the establishment of an elderly care service system that coordinates home and community institutions and combines medical and health care will be accelerated. The work report of the Beijing Municipal Government mentioned that it is necessary to build 2,000 new home care beds for the elderly, 240 new rural neighborhood mutual aid elderly care service points, and 300 elderly care meal assistance points to improve the professionalism of elderly care service practitioners. (over)