Chinese University Staff ‘Must Study’ Marxism, Maoist and Xi Jinping Ideology

Radio Free Asia:

The ruling Chinese Communist Party has launched a new wave of political training for colleges and universities that aims to instill the ideology of President Xi Jinping and late supreme leader Mao Zedong in staff and students alike.

The Ministry of Education released on Monday a five-year training plan for teachers via a series of “political theory” courses in colleges and universities.

According to the ministry, “it is necessary to train dozens of ideological and political scholars with extensive influence … as well as hundreds of leaders in ideological and political education.”

Former Guizhou University professor Yang Shaozheng, who was fired outright after he made comments critical of the Communist Party in an online article, said the plan is essentially part of an attempt to step up the “brainwashing” of Chinese students.

“I think this is problematic,” Yang told RFA. “The students already have the desire for independent thought, and a critical faculty.”

He said the move would result in an education system that wasn’t fit for purpose.