Advancing the Integrated Construction of Ideological and Political Education in Universities, Middle Schools, and Primary Schools with a Systems Concept

The systems concept is a worldview and methodology that views the development of things from a systemic perspective, and is a fundamental mode of thinking for people to understand and transform the world. Adhering to the systems concept is an important component of the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization," deliberated and approved at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party, [1]1 Xi Jinping, speech at a symposium for teachers of ideological and political theory courses in schools, March 18, 2019. takes "adhering to the systems concept" as one of the major principles for further deepening reform comprehensively. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to "deeply advance the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools." As an organic whole and a systematic project, the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools is not only a cross-combination of its internal links and constituent elements but also interacts with the external pattern of educational development, containing profound systemic philosophical wisdom. Deeply advancing the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools concerns the fundamental question of for whom to cultivate people, what kind of people to cultivate, and how to cultivate people, and is a key move to implement the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education. [2]2 Xi Jinping, remarks on comprehensively deepening reform, from *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*, vol. 1. To do this work well, it is necessary to base it on the New Era, the new journey, and new requirements, engaging in forward-looking thinking, holistic planning, strategic layout, and overall advancement.

系统观念，是以系统的观点看待事物发展的世界观和方法论，是人们认识世界和改造世界的基本思维。坚持系统观念，是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的世界观和方法论的重要内容。党的二十届三中全会审议通过的《中共中央关于进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化的决定》将“坚持系统观念”作为进一步全面深化改革的重大原则之一。习近平总书记强调，要“深入推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设”。作为一个有机整体和一项系统工程，大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设不仅是其内部各环节和各构成要素之间的交叉组合，而且与外部的教育发展格局相互影响，包含着深刻的系统哲学智慧。深入推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设，事关为谁培养人、培养什么人、怎样培养人这一根本性问题，是落实立德树人根本任务的关键之举。做好这一工作必须立足新时代新征程新要求，前瞻性思考、全局性谋划、战略性布局、整体性推进。

I

一

"The systems concept is a foundational thought and working method." To understand and plan the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools, we must start from the systems concept, base it on the overall strategic situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the changes unseen in a century in the world, closely center on the central task of building a strong educational country, form a holistic and forward-looking understanding, and identify the basic laws of the integrated construction of ideological and political courses in universities, middle schools, and primary schools.

“系统观念是具有基础性的思想和工作方法。”认识和谋划大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设，要从系统观念出发，立足中华民族伟大复兴战略全局和世界百年未有之大变局，紧密围绕教育强国建设的中心任务，形成具有全局性、前瞻性的认识，找准大中小学思政课一体化建设的基本规律。

Advancing the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools is an inevitable requirement for ensuring the continuity of the Party's cause. The development of the cause of the Party and the people requires cultivating generation after generation of socialist builders and successors who are well-developed morally, intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and labor-wise. "Prioritizing virtue, cultivating the self—this is the basic logic of talent growth." Cultivating generation after generation of pillars who can be greatly useful and shoulder heavy responsibilities in socialist modernization requires us to insist on prioritizing moral education, starting from schools, starting from childhood, deeply expanding the important front of "grand ideological and political courses" for education, [3]3 Xi Jinping, speech at a national conference on ideological and political work in universities and colleges, December 7-8, 2016. guiding the new generation to unswervingly listen to the Party and follow the Party, ensuring that the red river and mountain [4]4 "Red river and mountain" (红色江山) is a metaphorical phrase for the socialist political power established by the CPC. have successors and never change color.

推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设是确保党的事业后继有人的必然要求。党和人民事业发展需要培养一代又一代德智体美劳全面发展的社会主义建设者和接班人。“立德为先，修身为本，这是人才成长的基本逻辑。”培养一代又一代在社会主义现代化建设中可堪大用、能担重任的栋梁之才要求我们坚持德育为先，从学校抓起、从娃娃抓起，深入拓展“大思政课”育人重要阵地，引导时代新人坚定不移听党话、跟党走，确保红色江山后继有人、永不变色。

Advancing the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools is an inherent need for firmly grasping the "three attributes" of education. The political attribute, people's attribute, and strategic attribute of education profoundly reveal the advanced essence, distinctive features, and unique advantages of China's socialist education. Ideological and political work is the Party's fine tradition, distinctive feature, and prominent political advantage, and is the lifeline of all work. Advancing ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools must focus on the political attribute of education, answering the fundamental question of for whom to cultivate people, what kind of people to cultivate, and how to cultivate people; must focus on the people's attribute of education, answering the question of basic stance and value pursuit; must focus on the strategic attribute of education, answering the major question of serving the high-quality development of education. Advancing the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools means, based on the essential stipulations and inherent needs of ideological and political education, unifying the purposiveness and regularity of education, and doing a good job of top-level design covering different time periods and different groups.

推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设是牢牢把握教育“三大属性”的内在需要。教育的政治属性、人民属性、战略属性深刻揭示了我国社会主义教育的先进本质、鲜明特色和独有优势。思想政治工作是党的优良传统、鲜明特色和突出政治优势，是一切工作的生命线。推进大中小学思想政治教育必须着眼教育的政治属性，回答好为谁培养人、培养什么人、怎样培养人的根本问题；必须着眼教育的人民属性，回答好基本立场和价值追求的问题；必须着眼教育的战略属性，回答好服务教育高质量发展的重大问题。推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设，就是基于思想政治教育的本质规定和内在需要，把教育的合目的性与合规律性统一起来，做好涵盖不同时段、不同群体的顶层设计。

Advancing the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools is a necessary move to manifest the characteristics of a strong educational country. On September 10, 2024, at the National Education Conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "The strong educational country we aim to build is a socialist educational country with Chinese characteristics, which should possess strong ideological and political guiding force, talent competitiveness, scientific and technological support, people's livelihood guarantee, social synergy, and international influence, providing strong support for comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization." [5]5 The "six major characteristics" of a strong educational country were outlined by Xi Jinping at the 2024 National Education Conference. The ideological and political guiding force, as the first of the "six major characteristics" of a strong educational country, embodies the essential requirements of building a strong educational country. The core meaning of advancing the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools lies in adhering to the Party's leadership over ideological work, providing directional guidance for building a strong educational country, steadfastly educating people for the Party and cultivating talents for the country, and striving to run education that satisfies the people; it lies in comprehensively implementing the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, strengthening sustained, stable, and long-term talent support for building a strong educational country.

推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设是彰显教育强国特质的应然之举。2024年9月10日，习近平总书记在全国教育大会上强调：“我们要建成的教育强国，是中国特色社会主义教育强国，应当具有强大的思政引领力、人才竞争力、科技支撑力、民生保障力、社会协同力、国际影响力，为以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业提供有力支撑。”思政引领力作为教育强国“六大特质”之首，体现教育强国建设的本质要求。推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设，其核心意涵在于坚持党对意识形态工作的领导权，为教育强国建设提供方向指引，坚守为党育人、为国育才，努力办好人民满意的教育；在于全面落实立德树人根本任务，为教育强国建设强化持续、稳定、长远的人才支撑。

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To adhere to advancing the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools with a systems concept, we must closely center on the essential core of "integration," grasp the three key aspects of "order, effectiveness, and degree," properly handle the relationships between wholeness and progression, directionality and effectiveness, and value and knowledge, incorporate all elements, links, and participating subjects of ideological and political education into the overall situation for consideration, and continuously enhance the pertinence and appeal of ideological and political courses.

坚持以系统观念推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设，要紧密围绕“一体化”的本质内核，抓住“序、效、度”三个关键方面，把握好整体性与进阶性、方向性与实效性、价值性与知识性的关系，将思想政治教育的各要素、各环节及参与主体都纳入全局来考量，不断提升思政课的针对性和吸引力。

Grasping temporal order, taking wholeness as a prerequisite and progression as a guarantee. Wholeness means comprehensively and holistically attending to all elements within the integration, grasping the principal contradiction and central work, coordinating efforts, and "playing the piano with ten fingers." [6]6 "Playing the piano with ten fingers" is a Chinese idiom meaning to coordinate multiple tasks or elements simultaneously in a balanced way. The integrated advancement of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools is not about building and perfecting a certain link or several parts, but about the holistic advancement of related educational elements, resources, and structures, achieving a three-dimensional, interconnected, and dynamic organic integration. In addition, it is necessary to promote the concurrent development of ideological and political education with general education, professional education, and practical education. From an internal structural perspective, ideological and political theory courses, curriculum-based ideological and political education, and daily ideological and political education are all constituent elements and components of the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools. They have different roles and emphases in function and practice, but they also promote and develop each other synergistically, jointly forming the overall ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools through linkage and coordination. Progression means examining the interactive connection between different stages in a developmental and dynamic manner, running the relay well. From the perspective of the entire process and full period of student growth, each constituent element of ideological and political education, due to its operational characteristics and laws, manifests a stage-based hierarchy. The educational content of different school segments—primary school, middle school, high school, and university—represents a transitional progression from easy to difficult, from surface to interior, from shallow to deep, and from sensibility to rationality. It is necessary to grasp the laws and coordinate development.

把握时序，以整体性为前提，以进阶性为保证。整体性就是全面、全局地关注到一体化内部各要素，抓住主要矛盾和中心工作，统筹发力，“十个指头弹钢琴”。大中小学思想政治教育一体化推进不是对某一环节或某几部分的建设完善，而是与之关联的教育要素、资源、结构的整体性推进，实现立体、联动、动态的有机一体化。此外，还要推动思想政治教育与通识教育、专业教育、实践教育同向同行。从内部结构来看，思想政治理论课、课程思政、日常思政等都是大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设的构成要素和组成部分，它们在功能作用和实践方式上角色不同、各有侧重，但又互促互进、协同发展，通过彼此间联动协调共同构成大中小学思想政治教育整体。进阶性就是发展地、动态地考察不同阶段的互动衔接，跑好接力。从学生成长的全过程全时段来看，思想政治教育的每一个构成要素因其运行的特点和规律而彰显出阶段层次梯度，小学、初中、高中、大学不同学段的教育内容表征着由易到难、由表及里、由浅入深、由感性到理性的衔接过渡，必须把握规律、协调发展。

Focusing on effectiveness, taking directionality as a guide and actual effect as support. Directionality means examining whether the action orientation of ideological and political education in each segment and domain is unified. To maintain the "correctness" of the direction of the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools, the first priority is to adhere to the guiding position of Marxism, consistently uphold the Party's leadership, and ensure that the forward direction does not deviate. Ideological and political education in each school segment must proceed in the same direction and resonate at the same frequency, guiding young students to establish a correct view of history, view of the nation, view of the country, and view of culture through various means. Actual effect means assessing whether the ideological and political education in each segment and domain truly guards its own channel and cultivates its own responsibility field. [7]7 "Guarding its own channel and cultivating its own responsibility field" (守好一段渠、种好责任田) is a metaphor from CPC discourse, meaning to fulfill one's specific duties and responsibilities within a larger system. Advancing the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools must emphasize actual effect, with the primary criterion for measurement being the effectiveness of fostering virtue through education. It is necessary to make sufficient efforts in all areas of school governance, all links of education and teaching, and all aspects of talent cultivation, through comprehensive value guidance, to create a "grand ideological and political" pattern with broad coverage and full penetration, adhere to value leadership and practical education, and comprehensively enhance the actual effect of curriculum-based ideological and political education.

着眼效度，以方向性为指引，以实效性为支撑。方向性就是考察各段各域思想政治教育的行动指向是否统一。守好大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设方向之“正”，首要就是坚持马克思主义指导地位，一以贯之地坚持党的领导，保证前进方向不偏航。各学段思想政治教育必须同向同行、同频共振，通过多种方式，引导青年学生树立正确的历史观、民族观、国家观、文化观。实效性就是研判各段各域的思想政治教育是否真正守好一段渠、种好责任田。推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设要注重实效，衡量的首要标准就是立德树人成效。必须在办学治校各领域、教育教学各环节、人才培养各方面下足功夫，通过全方位的价值观引导，打造广覆盖、全渗透的“大思政”格局，坚持价值引领和实践育人，全面提升课程思政教育实效。

Focus on depth, using knowledge as the vehicle and value as the goal. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “We must adhere to the unity of value and knowledge, embedding value guidance within the transmission of knowledge.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, speech at a symposium for teachers of ideological and political theory courses in schools, March 18, 2019. Ideological and political education must take knowledge as its vehicle, satisfying students’ thirst for knowledge. The content of knowledge includes not only Marxist theory but also broadly covers other social science and natural science knowledge; the forms of knowledge reception encompass not only theoretical study but also point toward practical experience. In the process of promoting the integration of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools, it is necessary to form a systematic education guided by the Party’s innovative theories in the New Era, with core socialist values, fine traditional Chinese culture, and other key modules as its foundation. Based on the great practices of the New Era, we must continuously promote reform and innovation in ideological and political courses, always adhering to theory as the foundation, content as the king, and quality as paramount, thoroughly and incisively explaining theories and clarifying principles. At the same time, ideological and political education must take value as its core, focusing on shaping students’ values, guiding students to discern the “ideas” and “methods” behind “statements,” and to grasp the “truth” and “reason” contained within “principles.” At all stages of universities, middle schools, and primary schools, ideological and political education must be guided by the Marxist worldview and methodology, emphasizing the leading role of values, and clarifying the fundamental standard of “seeking true knowledge” for each discipline.

聚焦深度，以知识性为载体，以价值性为目的。习近平总书记强调：“要坚持价值性和知识性相统一，寓价值观引导于知识传授之中。”思想政治教育要以知识为载体，满足学生对知识的渴求。知识内容不仅包括马克思主义理论，也广泛涵盖其他社会科学以及自然科学知识；知识接收形式不仅囊括理论学习，也指向实践体验。在大中小学思想政治教育一体化推进过程中，要形成以新时代党的创新理论为引领，以社会主义核心价值观、中华优秀传统文化等为关键模块的系统教育，立足新时代伟大实践，不断推动思政课改革创新，始终坚持理论为基、内容为王、质量为上，鞭辟入里地讲清楚理论、讲明白道理。同时，思想政治教育要以价值为内核，着力塑造学生的价值观，引领学生洞察“说法”背后所蕴含的“想法”和“方法”，领会“道理”之中所蕴含的“真理”和“情理”。在大中小学各个阶段，思想政治教育都必须以马克思主义世界观和方法论为指导，强调价值的引领作用，为各学科明确“求真知”的根本标准。

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Adhering to the systems concept to promote the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools requires following the practical approach of “how to promote integration,” carrying out holistic advancement that integrates all aspects and the entire process, constructing a coordinated, continuous, and synergistic three-dimensional organizational form, and promoting the enhancement of integration effectiveness.

坚持以系统观念推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设，要遵循“如何推进一体化”的实践进路，进行全方位与全过程相统合的整体性推进，构筑起协调的、连续的、形成合力的立体化组织形态，促进一体化效能的提升。

Deepen the organic integration of systems and mechanisms, linking upper and lower levels to strengthen coordination. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes, “Major reforms are all matters that affect the whole body if one part is touched, and require comprehensive consideration and coordinated advancement.” [2]2 Xi Jinping, remarks on comprehensively deepening reform, from *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*, vol. 1. Promoting the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools is a systematic project involving top-level design, concrete implementation, and work guarantees, inherently including subsystems such as coordination, implementation, and guarantees. Organizing and mobilizing these subsystems to cooperate and coordinate with each other is a necessary condition for fully unleashing the educational effectiveness of integrated construction. We should strengthen top-level design, grasp the dual attributes of education and management in integrated construction, and achieve comprehensive coordination through innovation in governance systems and mechanisms. We must focus on key points such as Party committees at all levels, education administrative departments at all levels, various school departments, and all types of teachers, promoting Party organizations to take the lead in overall planning, management departments to provide guidance and traction, research institutions to offer theoretical support, and schools and teachers to engage in creative practice, forming a virtuous cycle of integration. We must properly allocate elements such as personnel, finances, and materials, making efforts in teams, resources, and technology. We must effectively strengthen long-term incentive guarantees for work teams, precise supply guarantees for educational resources, and guarantees for technological empowerment such as artificial intelligence, providing strong support for integrated construction.

深化体制机制的有机统合，上下联动强化协调性。习近平总书记强调，“重大改革都是牵一发而动全身的，更需要全面考量、协调推进”。推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设，是牵涉顶层设计、具体落实、工作保障各环节的系统性工程，内在包括统筹、落实、保障等子系统。组织调动各子系统相互协同配合，是充分发挥一体化建设育人效能的必要条件。应强化顶层设计，把握好一体化建设的教育与管理双重属性，通过治理体制机制创新，做好综合统筹。抓好各级党委、各级教育主管部门、学校各部门、各类教师等关键点位，推动各党组织牵头抓总、各管理部门指导牵引、各研究机构理论支撑、各学校和教师创造性实践，形成一体化良性循环。做好人、财、物等要素配置，在队伍、资源和技术上下功夫。切实加强工作队伍的长效激励保障、教育资源的精准供给保障、人工智能等技术赋能保障，为一体化建设提供有力支撑。

Respect the laws of student growth and talent development, spiraling upward to promote continuity. Student growth and talent development is an organic unity of continuity and stages, inherently requiring effective connection and interlocking of educational processes and activities across different stages. In terms of educational goals, the overall goal requirements should be integrated into the objectives of each stage of ideological and political education; in terms of educational content, we must pay attention to the degree of development of students’ basic knowledge mastery, physical and mental health levels, and ideological and political quality from the previous stage, while also focusing on using the development goals of higher stages as guidance for current-stage education, forming educational methods that are compatible with them, and promoting students’ progressive growth and development. Combining the interests, cognitive levels, receptivity, and needs of students at different stages, we should carry out targeted ideological and political education, promoting the integrated advancement of management systems, curriculum standards, textbook compilation, classroom teaching, teacher training, and evaluation incentives, facilitating effective connections between different stages.

尊重学生成长成才规律，螺旋上升促进连续性。学生成长成才是连续性与阶段性的有机统一，内在需要强化不同学段教育过程和教育活动的有效衔接、环环相扣。在教育目标上，将总体目标要求贯穿于思想政治教育的各学段目标；在教育内容上，既要关注上一阶段学生的基本知识掌握、身心健康水平和思想政治素质的发展程度，又要注重以更高阶段的发展目标作为当前阶段教育的指引，形成与之相适配的教育方法，促进学生递进式的成长发展。结合不同学段学生的兴趣点、认知度、接受力、需求性，开展针对性思想政治教育，对管理体制、课程标准、教材编写、课堂教学、师资培育、评价激励等一体化推进，促进不同学段有效衔接。

Focus on whole-person, whole-process, and all-round education, integrating and interweaving to enhance three-dimensionality. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “School ideological and political work is not simply a single-line task, but should be all-round.” [3]3 Xi Jinping, speech at a national conference on ideological and political work in universities and colleges, December 7-8, 2016. Promoting the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools requires focusing on “cooperation,” enhancing “synergy,” and twisting “multiple lines” into “one rope.” Through complementary advantages, promote the resonance of the main channel and main front at the same frequency. Make good use of the main channel of ideological and political classrooms to deeply, thoroughly, and vividly explain the Party’s innovative theories; build the main front of various courses, skillfully and subtly using distinctive ideological and political elements, simultaneously strengthening explicit and implicit education, and promoting the optimization and integration of the classroom teaching matrix. Rely on community building to ensure that the educational team moves in the same direction. Within schools, form an educational pattern of unified leadership by the Party committee, coordinated management by departments, proactive action by faculties, and participation by teachers and students; between schools, build an integrated community for ideological and political education across school districts, disciplines, and stages, breaking down educational barriers, and jointly promoting teaching research, course lectures, and activity organization. Use resource supply as a link to promote government, schools, and society to jointly answer questions, strengthen policy supply and guidance, formulate and introduce supporting policies, actively release guiding signals, and play a leading and guaranteeing role in coordinating all parties; strengthen the construction of guarantee platforms and technological supply, fully connect with school ideological and political education, deeply explore and flexibly utilize practical education resources, create research and practice bases, and effectively serve comprehensive education. Through school-government cooperation, school-local cooperation, and school-museum cooperation, achieve a multiplier effect in ideological and political education.

聚焦全员全程全方位育人，融通互嵌增强立体性。习近平总书记指出：“学校思想政治工作不是单纯一条线的工作，而应该是全方位的。”推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设，要聚焦“合作”、增强“合力”，将“多条线”拧成“一股绳”。通过优势互补，促进主渠道主阵地同频共振。用好思政课堂主渠道，讲深、讲透、讲活党的创新理论；建好各门课程主阵地，生动巧妙地用好特色思政元素，同步增强显性和隐性教育，促进课堂教学矩阵的优化与贯通。以共同体建设为依托，确保育人队伍同向同行。在学校内部形成党委统一领导、部门协调共管、院系主动作为、师生共同参与的育人格局；在学校之间构建跨学区、跨学科、跨学段的思想政治教育一体化共同体，打破教育区隔，一体推进教学共研、课程共讲、活动共办等。以资源供给为纽带，推动政府、学校、社会同题共答，强化政策供给与指导，制定出台配套政策，积极释放导向信号，在协调各方中发挥好牵引和保障作用；强化保障平台建设及技术供给，与学校思想政治教育充分对接，深挖活用实践育人资源，打造研学实践基地，切实服务全面育人。通过校府合作、校地合作、校馆合作，实现思想政治教育的倍增效应。

(Author’s bio: Chang Qing is a specially appointed researcher at the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era Research Center of the Ministry of Education, and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice President of Northeast Normal University.)

（作者简介：常青，系教育部习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心特约研究员，东北师范大学党委副书记、副校长）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心