Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Monday said that the State Council plans to earmark 10 billion yuan (US$1.23 billion) in the coming five years to support vocational education.

At a national conference on vocational education in Beijing, Wen said that the development of vocational education will be included in the 11th Five-year Program for Economic and Social Development.

The investment will be used to build vocational training bases, improve education facilities and support students from poor families to receive vocational education, Wen said.

Wen said China should strengthen the development of vocational education to change the huge population pressure into the advantage of human resources.

He said China's development needs not only a large number of scientists, engineers and economic management talents, but also millions of laborers with high techniques and abilities.

Wen said that China has a huge population, especially in rural areas, and employment is a problem that should be solved. Therefore, vocational education should be given priority equal to basic education and education of higher learning.

He said China's vocational education should be focused on the training of working skills for the unemployed and improving workers' technical levels.

He emphasized that the scale of vocational training should be enlarged in both secondary education and higher education. Enterprises and society are encouraged to build diversified vocational schools.

China should improve the education quality of vocational schools and attach importance to the development of vocational education in rural areas, Wen said.

He stressed that the reform of the personnel and labor system should be deepened to change the situation of pursuing diplomas while neglecting practical skills.

"We respect not only professors and experts but also technologists who have their own inventions," Wen said.

For the workers on the front line of production, as long as they achieve any technical innovation which generates great social and economic benefits, they will be offered ample reward, Wen added.

(Xinhua News Agency November 8, 2005)