Country set to advance sci-tech popularization

China is expected to promote science education and increase the cultivation of relevant talent, in an effort to strengthen science popularization and stimulate innovation-driven development, according to a draft law revision.

The draft revision to the Science and Technology Popularization Law was submitted for first review on Monday to an ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.

This is the first revision of the law since it was enacted in 2002.

The draft, which contains 60 articles in eight chapters, addresses prominent issues in science popularization and specifies refining the system for innovation. It includes provisions on general requirements, the direction of science popularization and the promotion of science popularization activities, among other things.

According to the draft, universities and colleges are required to provide courses and majors related to the sciences, while primary and middle schools are expected to offer classes that ignite students' interest in science and stimulate their innovative capabilities.

Preschools are also required to increase content on scientific knowledge and keep children curious about science, it said.

The draft calls for establishing a professional team for science popularization, encouraging senior experts to join the team, and improving the volunteer system in the sector. It urges timely measures against pseudoscience and anti-scientific information.

Yin Hejun, minister of science and technology, said the popularization of science and technology is a fundamental work in realizing innovative development.

"It is necessary to revise the existing law, as there are still some issues that need to be addressed such as inadequate recognition of the importance of and the lack of initiative in science popularization," he said.

Other issues that need to be addressed include an insufficient supply of high-quality science popularization products and services, inadequate development of science popularization teams and relatively weak science popularization infrastructure, he added.

In recent years, Chinese authorities have paid more attention to the popularization of science and technology, and have tried to promote wider and higher-quality access to sci-tech knowledge.

In September, more than 20,000 special exhibitions and open activities were held nationwide to mark the 21st National Science Popularization Day.

Yin, the minister, said the current version of the Science and Technology Popularization Law has played an important role in promoting sci-tech popularization, enhancing scientific literacy among citizens and driving innovative development.

The proportion of Chinese citizens with scientific literacy increased from 1.98 percent in 2003 to 14.14 percent last year, according to results of a survey released in April by the China Association for Science and Technology.

For the first time, the gap in scientific literacy levels of citizens in the eastern, central and western regions has narrowed, while gender disparities have also been further reduced, the data showed.

Meanwhile, China's rank in the global innovation index has climbed from 34 in 2012 to 11 this year, making it the only middle-income economy among the top 30, according to the Global Innovation Index 2024, which was published in September by the World Intellectual Property Organization.

yandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn