According to the 11th Five Year Plan, the Chinese government intends to continue its work on making nine year compulsory education universal to all children in line with the six goals set by Education for All. The government aims to eliminate illiteracy among young and middle-aged adults in the western region and ensure the plan's target is met by 2007.

In assisting the Government achieving this ambitious goal, the UN Country Team brings with it a wealth of experience in education sectors around the world. UN agencies, funds and programmes are assisting the Government in retraining more than 9 million teachers, along with administrators and policymakers; making a massive investment to make sure there are enough good schools to serve poor rural areas; and developing new education standards and curricula, and systems to monitor progress. The UN Country Team is promoting school readiness, child friendly kindergartens and schools that are safe, nurturing and providing a stimulating learning environment for all children. In particular, these programmes aim to overcome the obstacles that deny education rights to disadvantaged children such as girls, the disabled, ethnic minorities, orphans, street children and the children of migrant workers and poor families.

Beyond school walls, the UN Theme Group on Education and Human Resources Development also works on adult literacy, particularly in rural areas, as well as vocational and technical education, notably to help equip the rural population, adolescents, graduates and laid-off workers to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to improve their lives and their participation in China's rapidly changing economy.