The Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China (中華人民共和國教育部) is the State Council agency responsible for regulating all aspects of the educational system in mainland China, including compulsory basic education, vocational education, and tertiary education. Established on October 1, 1949, as the Ministry of Education of the Central People’s Government, the ministry initially operated under the oversight of the Culture and Education Commission. From 1985 to 1998, it was renamed the State Education Commission before returning to its current title following State Council restructuring. The ministry has undergone multiple reorganizations, including temporary abolition during the Cultural Revolution from 1970 to 1975. Currently headed by Huai Jinpeng (懷進鵬), who was appointed Minister in August 2021, the Ministry certifies teachers, standardizes curriculum and textbooks, establishes educational standards, and oversees 75 affiliated universities as part of its mission to “modernize China through education.”