Chapter 707

After giving everyone a few minutes to digest, Mayor Wu Ji'an said: "Comrades, corruption is the biggest tumor harming the vitality and combat effectiveness of Qingcheng City. Anti-corruption is the most thorough self-revolution. We must firmly support and firmly obey the decisions of the organization and the Discipline Inspection Committee, maintain the strict tone for the long term, and show a clear attitude of carrying the anti-corruption struggle through to the end."

All departments and levels throughout the city and the broad cadres must speak politically with clear flags, firmly unify thinking and action with the provincial committee's decisions, firm up political stance, strictly observe political discipline and political rules, continually improve political judgment, political comprehension, and political execution, strength.

Of course, doing a good job of the related work for the 'Free City' project is the attitude of the Qingcheng Municipal Party Committee and City Government!

Therefore, everyone must treat this work as a political task, treat it as the top priority of the entire city, and allow no mistake whatsoever!

Otherwise, when the provincial and municipal committees hold him accountable, it will be his own doing!

All right, the meeting ends here. Please everyone do your own duties well, and adjourn!

Wu Ji'an rose and left the meeting room, with Ban Ce closely following.

After coming out, the two shared a knowing smile, and Wu Ji'an said: "Is there any good tea? Let's go to your place for a while!"

Ban Ce smiled faintly and said: "The tea supply is sufficient; I've been drinking tea these years and have studied this subject deeply."

"I'm afraid you won't be able to idle from now on; you need to prepare yourself to shoulder heavy responsibilities!"

……

Within an hour, the news that Yun Shuo had been taken down by the Discipline Inspection Committee at the meeting spread like wings across the entire province.

One must know that Yun Shuo dominated the grassland political scene for thirty years, calling the wind and summoning the rain, with power shaking the heavens; in the grasslands he was a household name, known to every ordinary citizen, and his downfall in the grassland political arena was no less than a magnitude-seven earthquake.

In the aftermath of the shock, people speculated wildly about the reasons and hidden story behind it; various rumors flew thick and fast, turning the previously calm officialdom into a scene of rising winds and surging clouds. Especially in Qingcheng City, countless people were panicked all day long, fearing that the Discipline Inspection Committee would suddenly show up at their door.

August 22, Lu Fan went to Yancheng and recommended to Minister Zhou Xi the candidate for Qingcheng Municipal Party Committee Secretary, intending Zhou Haoshu, the Municipal Party Committee Secretary of He Lun.

Why not the acting mayor Wu Ji'an? The only reason is unfamiliarity and lack of understanding. But Lu Fan intends to send Wu Ji'an to serve as Municipal Party Committee Secretary in He Lun City, which can also be seen as a reward and a test for him.

As for the candidate for mayor of Qingcheng City, Lu Fan favors Deputy Municipal Party Committee Secretary Ban Ce. After getting to know him over these months, this person is clean in economic matters, has a clear mind, lacks no political wisdom, has ideas in work, and is worth cultivating.

The secretary of the municipal party committee of a provincial capital usually also serves as a member of the provincial party standing committee. Zhou Xi attached great importance to Lu Fan's recommendation, saying he would study it seriously and focus on it.

On the way back to the grasslands, Lu Fan saw a document from the Ministry of Education requiring provinces to gradually implement the two-day weekend.

Lu Fan asked Wu Xiaohua beside him: "Isn't junior high in the grasslands already on a two-day weekend?"

Wu Xiaohua replied: "As far as I know, the first and second years of junior high across the province are on a two-day weekend, but many third-year junior high students get a day off only once every two weeks."

Lu Fan then asked: "What about high school?"

"Some first and second years of high school are on a two-day weekend, some get a day off once every two weeks, but the third year of high school is generally off once every two weeks."

Lu Fan nodded and said: "Tomorrow we will convene the standing committee meeting to discuss the implementation of the two-day weekend."

"Okay, Secretary, I'll arrange it right away after I go back."

With Lu Fan's prestige in the grasslands, anything he wants to do can be implemented immediately, and it's a case of doing something and getting it done. Even if he makes a mistake, someone will firmly carry it out.

After returning to the office, Lu Fan had his secretary Cheng Haohao summon Deputy Provincial Governor Dong Sheng and Education Department Director Wen Chaozhi to the office to discuss how to implement the spirit of the Ministry of Education's document.

Lu Fan has always attached great importance to education work, which may be related to his previous stint as Education Department Director. More importantly, having come from the countryside, he knows all too well how difficult it is for a farming family to support a student, especially to put them through college, which in most cases leads the family to bear heavy debt.

If a family has two or three children, the children's education issues can only be left to take their own course, because the family simply lacks the surplus resources to create good learning conditions.

Therefore, no matter where he works, teaching according to ability and free education is Lu Fan's foremost governing principle.

After Dong Sheng and Wen Chaozhi arrived at the office, Lu Fan gained a detailed understanding of the current state of education development in the grasslands and sighed: "The purpose of the state's policies is to avoid educational involution and to scientifically cultivate and select talent. Involution has been a widely discussed topic in recent years; under the impact of educational involution, many parents have been drawn into this struggle, and even those who do not want to be drawn in cannot withstand the collective pressure, are forced to go along, and turn their children into identical puppets."

Because of educational involution, we have produced large numbers of 'obedient' children who are compliant but lack spirit and vitality; we emphasize uniformity in education, yet forget to teach children to have their own individuality, shaping children with different intellects, interests, talents, and experiences into the same people, the same 'puppets'—is this the true purpose of education?

Since the state has issued a top-level design, the grasslands province must implement it thoroughly. No matter how other provinces are, the grasslands must fully implement the new education policy starting this semester.

I propose a few ideas for you to refine in line with policy: First, kindergartens and primary schools start at 9 a. m., junior highs at 8:30 a. m., and high schools at 8 a. m.; first we must guarantee children's sleep, otherwise they will be dazed all day and learning will be inefficient.

Second, the entire province will implement a two-day weekend, including the third year of junior high; as for whether the third year of high school should have a two-day weekend, you should discuss it based on actual conditions.

Third, junior high students, first- and second-year high school students shall cancel evening self-study; senior year shall be decided according to circumstances. Boarding schools may have evening self-study, but they must absolutely not teach new lessons or provide remedial instruction, and must not exceed two class periods;

Fourth, primary school students' on-campus time shall not exceed six hours, middle school students shall not exceed eight hours; this must be strictly enforced, and the Department of Education shall issue normative documents;

Fifth, impose a blanket ban on Paid Tutoring; otherwise involution will not stop, schools cannot free up time and parents will just send their children back to cram schools. Therefore, we must strictly regulate all provincial education and training institutions—absolutely no tutoring! Public officials who engage in Paid Tutoring shall be dismissed outright and punished as job-related crimes; first we must suppress this unhealthy trend. As for individuals in society who engage in Paid Tutoring, we must also find ways to govern them; our grassland has legislative power, so you should discuss with the provincial People's Congress, the provincial High Court, the provincial Justice Department, etc., to see whether legal sanctions can be imposed on Paid Tutoring;

Sixth, emphasize sports; I have watched some videos, the vast majority of our children cannot even do a single pull‑up; obesity, myopia, overweight, etc., have become common ailments among children, which is completely wrong! A good physique is the foundation of a person; exercise effectively strengthens children's physique, promotes health and prevents disease, and is an important means of actively pursuing health!

Therefore, we must implement the Ministry of Education's policy, standardize PE classes: grades 1‑2 of primary school 4 periods per week, grades 3‑6 of primary school and junior high 3 periods per week, senior high 2 periods per week, and schools with conditions shall offer one PE class daily;

Furthermore, we should also reflect the emphasis on education in scores; I suggest raising the PE score in the senior high school entrance exam to 80 points, and also include PE in the college entrance exam, I suggest raising it to 100 points!

Seventh, discuss whether primary school needs English classes; I think it would be better to abolish them and start English in the first year of junior high. Moreover, I suggest lowering the English scores in the senior high school entrance exam and college entrance exam to 100 points at most, and they should not exceed those of physics and history;

Eighth, can we reduce the four minor subjects in the senior high school entrance exam? Keep only Chinese, mathematics, English, history, politics, physics, and PE? Chinese and math each 120 points, PE 80 points, the others each 100 points; discuss this, I may not be right, policy formulation must consider the actual situation of the grassland;

Ninth, the senior high school entrance exam and college entrance exam shall be independently set by the grassland, combined with the actual situation of grassland examinees, appropriately lowering the difficulty of the test papers. For college admission, ranking is what matters; let the children have an easier time;

Tenth, implement the 80-20 streaming system in the senior high school entrance exam, allowing 80% of junior high graduates to enter senior high school; the remaining 20% I feel would be wasted in senior high school, as they cannot keep up, so it is better to send them to vocational high school. This requires the grassland to vigorously develop higher vocational education, starting from skills training, signing employment intention agreements with enterprises across the province, targeted training, with solving employment as the primary goal.

Developing higher vocational education is listed as a 'top‑priority project'; I will personally oversee this work!

That's all I can think of for now; combine with the Ministry of Education's documents, first draft a plan, and discuss it at tomorrow's Standing Committee meeting.

After hearing the Secretary's instructions, Deputy Provincial Governor Dongsheng Wei put down his pen and exclaimed: 'Secretary, your ten instructions are eye‑opening and enlightening! I still feel a bit dazed; I need to fully digest your far‑sighted planning, to do good things well, to do practical things truly, and to reach the hearts of the people, so that the people of the grassland can fully feel the Secretary's and the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government's painstaking efforts and deep concern.'

Wen Chaozhi said: 'Secretary, if these ten new policies can be implemented, it will certainly be a blessing for the people of the grassland! However, many details still need to be perfected; I and Governor Dongsheng will work overtime, organizing experts, scholars, parents, principals, teachers, etc., to discuss each item clause by clause and refine them, aiming to produce a draft by tomorrow afternoon.'

Lu Fan said with a smile: 'The task is indeed somewhat heavy and urgent, but in a week schools will start again; after the plan is formed it still needs to be submitted to the Standing Committee for discussion, so I have no choice but to "squeeze" you two!'

Dongsheng Wei replied with a smile: 'Doing such a great deed that benefits the country and the people, we are full of vigor! Moreover, with the Secretary's concrete instructions, we will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort!'