China Unveils Special Education Plan for 15th Five-Year
Seven Chinese government ministries have jointly issued a new action plan to enhance special education development through 2030, setting a target of maintaining the enrollment rate of school-age disabled children in compulsory education above 97 percent. The plan, approved by the State Council in August, was announced on August 31 by the Ministry of Education, National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, National Health Commission, and China Disabled Persons’ Federation, according to Xinhua News.
Building on Historic Progress
The action plan represents the fourth phase of national special education improvement initiatives since 2012. According to the Ministry of Education, China’s special education system has achieved significant growth over the past decade-plus: the number of special education schools grew by 33 percent to 2,464, student enrollment increased by 145 percent to 927,000, and full-time teachers expanded by 95 percent to 85,100 as of 2025.
The enrollment rate of school-age disabled children in compulsory education reached 97 percent in 2025, marking what the ministry describes as “leapfrog development and historic accomplishments.” However, officials acknowledge persistent challenges, including insufficient resource supply, uneven educational quality, and underdeveloped digital infrastructure for special education.
Five Priority Tasks
The plan outlines five major priorities: expanding resources, improving quality, advancing digitalization, strengthening universal benefits, and promoting international cooperation. Key measures include supporting counties with populations over 200,000 to establish a standard special education school, implementing “one person, one plan” education placement policies, and expanding pathways for disabled students to pursue higher education.
In a notable development, the plan dedicates specific attention to autism education, calling for the construction of autism-specific special education schools in large cities and enhanced teacher training in this field. The plan also emphasizes integrating vocational education with employment support for disabled students.
Digital Transformation and AI Integration
A distinctive feature of the new plan is its emphasis on digitalization and artificial intelligence in special education. The Ministry of Education’s Basic Education Department acknowledged that China’s special education digitalization “is still in its early stages,” with insufficient resources and inadequate application. The plan calls for building “special education intelligent agents,” exploring AI-driven personalized instruction, and developing smart learning companions and AI-assisted teaching models.
These initiatives align with China’s broader push for educational digitalization and could position the country as a leader in educational technology for students with disabilities.
First-Time International Cooperation Focus
For the first time, the action plan includes a dedicated section on international exchange and cooperation in special education. The plan calls for deepening collaboration with Belt and Road countries, particularly neighboring nations and African countries, and for China to contribute its experience to global special education development. Officials stated that China aims to “provide Chinese wisdom and solutions for global special education development,” as reported by China Youth Daily.
Funding and Teacher Development
The plan commits to consolidating per-student public funding standards for special education, which were raised from 6,000 to 7,000 yuan annually during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. It also calls for making special education a required course for all teacher-training students and providing universal training in inclusive education for school principals and teachers.
The State Council has directed provincial governments to treat special education development as a key task during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, with the Ministry of Education tasked with monitoring implementation and conducting dynamic assessments.
Looking Ahead
As China moves from expanding access to improving quality in special education, the plan’s success will depend on implementation at the local level, particularly in less-developed regions where resources remain scarce. The emphasis on AI, autism education, and international cooperation signals a more sophisticated approach to special education that goes beyond enrollment numbers. Observers will be watching how the “one person, one plan” placement policy is implemented across diverse regions and whether the ambitious digital transformation goals translate into tangible improvements for students with disabilities.