The general secretary pointed out that "talent is a strategic resource to achieve national rejuvenation and win the initiative in international competition" and "innovation is the first driving force to lead development". History and practice have also fully shown that whoever has first-class innovative talents will have the advantage and dominance of scientific and technological innovation.
Young people are the future of the motherland and a reserve army of innovative talents. In 2021, the "Outline of the Action Plan for Scientific Literacy for All (2021-2035)" was released, which specifically proposed the action of improving the scientific literacy of young people, and proposed to "cultivate a large number of young people with the potential of scientists, and lay a solid talent foundation for accelerating the construction of a scientific and technological power", which fully demonstrates the importance of the cultivation of scientific literacy among young people.
China attaches great importance to science education, and in recent years, science and information technology courses have been added to primary and secondary schools. However, according to the data of the 11th Chinese Citizen Science Literacy Sample Survey released by the China Association for Science and Technology in early 2021, the proportion of Chinese citizens with scientific literacy reached 10 in 202056%, although 620% up 436 percentage points, but it is still significantly behind the developed countries of the West. The main reasons for this are the weakening of science education in primary and secondary schools, and other things that are incompatible with the requirements of the times, which are mainly manifested in the following ways: First, there is a phenomenon of emphasizing knowledge over ability. Education still puts the imparting of knowledge in the first place, focusing on clarifying "what", and does not pay attention to allowing students to experience the process of knowledge generation, and does not pay attention to guiding them to discover and create new knowledge, not to mention the cultivation of scientific spirit, scientific thinking and scientific method. Second, students' imagination and curiosity are suppressed. Most teachers are still knowledge-centered, using traditional teaching methods, and not many adopt heuristic teaching; Students' learning methods are mainly memorization, memorization, and problem solving, which is difficult to stimulate students' enthusiasm for science. In addition, there is a shortage of teachers who can master science education methods, facilities are a constraint, and evaluation orientation is not conducive to the development of science education.
In 2023, the Ministry of Education and 18 other departments jointly issued the "Opinions on Strengthening Science Education in Primary and Secondary Schools in the New Era", focusing on the addition of science education in the "double reduction" of education, proposing to "focus on practice and stimulate interest; Focus on integration and revitalize resources; Focus on integration, internal and external linkage; focus on inclusiveness, help and guidance; Focus on coordination and system design", and strive to solve the difficulties and problems existing in science education in primary and secondary schools in China at this stage. We should implement a series of national requirements, give full play to the capital's resource advantages, create a paradigm for the collaborative cultivation of scientific literacy among primary and secondary school students, and form a mechanism for the whole society to value, care for, and support science education.
Build a strong team, vigorously carry out the popularization and training of primary and secondary school teachers' "scientific literacy" teaching ability, and make it a compulsory course and assessment content. From the perspective of educational philosophy, every teacher should be made aware of the importance of science education. It helps teachers to start from the top-level logic of the concept of educating people, find the target positioning of science education, find the combination of subject knowledge and science education, and promote the integration of subject education and science education, which is similar to the concept and teaching method of "curriculum ideology and politics". From Beijing Municipality and even the whole country, select and establish a database of "science education" training experts. Establish an assessment and evaluation system. It is necessary not only to lay a solid foundation in the pre-service training of teachers and master the basic norms of science education, but also to strengthen relevant training after the service, and to reflect and improve while learning in teaching practice.
To promote education reform, schools offer interdisciplinary and comprehensive courses (such as STEAM courses) and advocate project-based learning. The integrated curriculum is centered on thinking and methods, with the comprehensive application of multidisciplinary knowledge as the means, and the goal of solving practical problems. Through project-based learning, research-based and first-class learning and rich scientific practice activities, students' interest is stimulated and mobilized.
Broaden the base, promote the integration of science and education, and make full use of the resources of universities and research institutes, so that students can listen to scientific stories, watch scientific research, do scientific experiments, and innovate design projects. Taking Beijing as an example, we can classify and classify the construction of science popularization bases, establish a scientific and accurate base library, and incorporate the construction of "bases" into the evaluation of universities and scientific research institutes to serve the society and serve Beijing. In addition, a support mechanism will be established to build a library of scientific experiment projects that can be provided by each base and can be used by students. Under the guidance of professional scientific researchers, certain scientific activities are carried out to allow students to experience the process of scientific research; Jointly develop courses and lectures, and establish a series of "MOOC" courses in science education. In addition, with reference to the management model of projects such as the "National Innovation Platform for the Integration of Industry and Education in Medicine", clear requirements are put forward for key disciplines, double first-class disciplines, key laboratories, and scientific research projects supported by Beijing, and "scientific literacy" education in primary and secondary schools is supported.
Build strong support. Taking Beijing as an example, it is possible to set up certain policy support such as funds and projects, carry out regular performance evaluation, promote the implementation of projects, make demonstrations, and explore a new paradigm of "collaborative education" in Beijing.
The key to cultivating young people's scientific literacy is to stimulate children's curiosity and exploration spirit, and cultivate scientific spirit, scientific thinking, scientific methods and scientific ability. Based on the actual situation, we should comprehensively improve the scientific quality of students, strive to plant the seeds of science in the hearts of children, guide children to weave their dreams of becoming scientists, and promote science education to play a major role in promoting the healthy growth and all-round development of students and in promoting the construction of a modern socialist education power. 
The author of this article is Yan Yonghong, member of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and director of the Academic Affairs Office of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine.
Author: Yan Yonghong.