Society

China aims to boost scientific literacy

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-30 19:54

BEIJING - China plans to have 5 percent of its population attain a basic understanding of science and technology by the end of 2015.

The plan was revealed Monday at the eighth national congress of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST).

According to a CAST survey, the country's level of scientific literacy of 3.27 percent in 2010 equals the level in developed countries in the 1990s.

CAST has made promoting scientific literacy one of its main goals in its 2011-2015 plan, which also includes constructing science facilities, boosting popular science novels, and responding quickly to questions concerning science and technology in order to meet people's various needs for scientific knowledge.

CAST plans to build more public science-education bases, as well as more science and technology museums to ensure that every city with a population of one million or more has at least one such museum.

The promotion targets minors and rural residents, hoping that farmers will be able to apply more technical knowledge to their businesses and boost production.

Founded in 1958, CAST is a national, non-governmental organization of scientific, technological and engineering workers. It has member societies and local branches throughout the country.

CAST's eighth national congress started in Beijing on Friday and ended on Monday.