Students have a science class at a primary school in Rugao, Jiangsu province. [Photo/IC]

East China's Jiangsu province has been stepping up efforts to improve its science education for primary and middle school students as the 2022 version of compulsory education curriculum and standards, which took effect during the fall, has increased the proportion of science classes up to 10 percent.

Primary and middle schools in the province have joined hands with universities to make the best of the latter's resources. College professors conduct regular science classes at primary and middle schools, and students at these schools can also take part in study programs about high-tech sectors that are conducted by professors.

The Jiangsu Association for Science and Technology has also been inviting scientists to give lectures at primary and middle schools in recent years. About 100 academicians and experts, as well as thousands of teachers and students, have participated in the program since 2021.

The association also plans to acknowledge 150 provincial-level science education demonstration schools by the end of 2025. A list of 60 such schools was released in September, with Tongshan Central Primary School in Jiangning district, Nanjing being one of them.

Starting from the fall semester, students at the primary school can spend two hours every day learning science at the school's 10 education bases. These science classes are related to geography, ecology, Chinese herb cultivation, aquatic farming, and other subjects.

The rural school has also compiled 12 textbooks for its six grades to teach students about science in daily lives and a variety of practice skills, said Zhu Yunxia, director of the science and technology department of the school.