Analysis: Falling Enrollment Puts China’s Vocational Education in Crisis
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China’s secondary vocational education system, long the engine room for the country’s manufacturing workforce, is facing a reckoning as the pursuit of academic credentials intensifies.
At a recent symposium on education finance at Peking University, participants described the sector as facing a moment of “life or death.” As the government expands enrollment in general high schools — the direct path to university — vocational institutions are struggling to define their role.
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- Enrollment in China’s secondary vocational schools has dropped to 35.7% of high school students in 2024, down from over 43% a decade ago, with only 9,302 schools in 2025—a 6% decline over five years.
- Policy shifts now favor general high school and university expansion, as parental preference drives decreased vocational education uptake.
- Experts warn that vocational schooling remains vital for students who struggle academically and for supporting SMEs, despite quality, integration, and curriculum challenges.
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What Happened When
- 2005：
- China set policy goals for a 'roughly equal' split between vocational and general education enrollment, defining at least 45% for vocational tracks.
- By 2014：
- China's vocational education sector was troubled by chaotic recruitment, irrelevant curriculums, and high dropout rates, causing students to lose academic ground.
- 2014：
- Vocational enrollment accounted for over 42.7% of students at the high school level (calculated from the 2024 drop of more than 7 percentage points to 35.7%).
- 2020：
- There were 9,865 secondary vocational schools in China according to later comparison with 2025 data.
- 2022：
- The Chinese government revised its Vocational Education Law, replacing language demanding a harsh 'split' between tracks with a call for 'coordinated development.'
- 2024：
- Government statistics released show vocational and technical schools enrollment at 5.75 million (35.7% of the total at the high school level), compared to 10.36 million for general high schools; this represents a drop of over 7 percentage points from 2014.
- 2025：
- A symposium on education finance at Peking University discussed the crisis facing China’s secondary vocational education system; Xue Zhao made various statements highlighting the decline, challenges, and pilot programs, including calls for reform and implementation efforts in Beijing. Guangzhou and Shanghai launched pilots for integrated bachelor's paths connecting vocational schools and universities.
- September 2025：
- Vice Minister of Education Xiong Sihao stated there were 9,302 secondary vocational schools in China, a loss of 563 schools (about 6%) compared to 2020.
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