Article 17 People’s governments at or above the county level shall establish vocational schools and vocational training institutions to serve as a mainstay and play an exemplary role, which shall provide guidance and assistance to the vocational schools and vocational training institutions established in accordance with law by rural communities and other public organizations, as well as individual citizens.

Article 18 In response to the needs of well-coordinated development of the rural economy, science and technology, and education, people’s governments at the county level shall provide various forms of vocational education and develop training programs of practical skills so as to promote the development of rural vocational education.

Article 19 Competent government departments and trade organizations shall, by itself or jointly, establish vocational schools or vocational training institutions, as well as arrange for, coordinate the efforts of and provide guidance to the enterprises and institutions of the trades concerned to establish vocational schools or vocational training institutions.

The State encourages the use of modern means of teaching in developing vocational education.

Article 20 An enterprise shall, in light of its actual conditions, provide systematic vocational education and training for its own employees and for the persons to be employed.

An enterprise may establish vocational school(s) or vocational training institution(s) either by itself or in collaboration with other enterprise(s), and it may also entrust existing schools or vocational training institutions to provide vocational education for its own employees or for the persons to be employed.

Any worker who is to do a technical type of job must undergo training beforehand; and any worker who is to do a job that requires special skills must undergo training and obtain the necessary qualifications for such a job.

Article 21 The State encourages institutions, non-governmental organizations, other public organizations and individual citizens to establish vocational schools and vocational training institutions in accordance with relevant State regulations.

Measures for the establishment of vocational schools and vocational training institutions within Chinese territory by an organization or individual from abroad shall be formulated by the State Council .

Article 22 For a jointly operated vocational school or vocational training institution, the collaborators shall conclude a contract for the joint establishment and running of such a school or institution.

Any competent government department, trade organization, enterprise or institution which intends to entrust a school or vocational training institution with the provision of vocational educational programs shall conclude a contact of authorization with the latter.

Article 23 In teaching, vocational schools and vocational schools and vocational training institutions should integrate education with industrial production, aim at serving the needs of local economic development, and maintain close ties with enterprises, thus helping trainees to acquire practical skills and become skilled workers.

Vocational schools and vocational training institutions may set up enterprises or have places for practice that are related to the vocational education programs provided.

Article 24 To establish a vocational school, the following basic conditions shall be satisfied:

(1) having an organizational structure and rules and regulations;

(2) having qualified teachers;

(3) having premises for teaching that meet specified standards and having facilities and equipment that meet the needs of vocational education;

(4) having the necessary funds for establishing the school and stable sources of operating funds.

To establish a vocational training institution, the following basic conditions shall be satisfied:

(1) having an organizational structure and a system for management;

(2) having teachers and managerial personnel that meet the needs of the training programs provided;

(3) having places, facilities and equipment that meet the needs of training;

(4) having the needed operating funds.

The establishment, modification, and/or termination of a vocational school or a vocational training institution shall be governed by relevant State regulations.

Article 25 A student who has received education at a vocational school and passed the examinations administered by the school shall be issued a certificate of schooling in accordance with relevant State regulations. A student who has received vocational training provided by a vocational school or vocational training institution and passed the examinations administered by the school or vocational training institution shall be issued a certificate of training in accordance with relevant State regulations.

According to relevant State regulations, the certificates of schooling and the certificates of training shall serve as qualifying certificates for graduates of vocational schools and for trainees who have completed their vocational training programs to seek employment.