Education workers visit an exhibition of AI-powered classes at a primary school in Beijing in November. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- China will establish a tiered AI education system spanning primary, junior high, and senior high schools to guide students from foundational cognitive awareness to practical technological innovation, according to policy documents unveiled Monday.

At the primary school level, the Ministry of Education (MOE) prioritizes AI literacy through exposure to basic technologies, such as voice recognition and image classification.

Building on this foundation, junior high school students will deepen their understanding of AI logic, examine machine learning processes, and develop critical thinking to identify misinformation in generative AI outputs.

Progressing to senior secondary education, the focus shifts toward applied innovation. Students will use accumulated AI knowledge to design and refine AI algorithm models, while cultivating interdisciplinary systems thinking.

To achieve the goals, the MOE will integrate AI-enabled teaching competencies into the teacher training framework. Additionally, it mandates schools to develop age-appropriate curricula with tiered instructional practices that align with cognitive development stages.

Notably, the MOE underscores generative AI's pedagogical potential. "Teachers can empower generative AI tools to construct interactive teaching and create immersive learning experiences," said an official overseeing basic education.

The official also called for strengthening students' logical and innovative thinking through generative AI-powered interactive learning ecosystems.

Meanwhile, the MOE prohibits students from submitting AI-generated content as academic work or examination responses. Simultaneously, it demands that teachers cultivate learners' capacity for critical thinking of AI outputs, thereby fostering authentic engagement in information processing.