Education in China
Education in China is a state-run system of public education run by the Ministry of Education. All citizens must attend school for at least nine years, known as the nine-year compulsory education, which is funded by the government. Compulsory education includes six years of primary education, starting at age six or seven, and three years of junior secondary education (junior middle school) for ages 12 to 15. Some provinces may have five years of primary school but four years for junior middle school. After junior middle school, there are three years of senior middle school, which then completes the secondary education.
Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China
The Ministry of Education (MOE) of the People's Republic of China is the agency of the State Council of the People's Republic of China that regulates all aspects of the educational system in mainland China, including compulsory basic education, vocational education, and tertiary education. The MOE certifies teachers, standardizes curriculum and textbooks, establishes standards, and monitors the entire education system in an effort to "modernize China through education". It is headquartered in Xidan, Xicheng District, Beijing. The MOE stresses technical education over other subjects.