The General Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Sunday issued a five-year education plan for its nearly 76 million members, a move to enhance their work-related abilities.

The plan charts principles, requirements, measures and key projects that will serve as guidelines on the education work of CPC members from 2009 to 2013.

More CPC members, especially those at grassroots organizations and rural areas, will be able to have access to modern education through TV and Internet, according to the plan.

All Party members in rural areas will have access to online education by the end of 2010, the plan says.

The plan aims to make CPC members firm in their faith, refine their working styles, and improve their working capabilities.

Efforts should be made to encourage CPC members to integrate their knowledge with practice, according to the plan.

Education and training of CPC members should be efficient and oriented to their needs so as to give them more initiatives to learn and then apply their knowledge to work, it says.

The plan aims to spend five years, starting from 2009, on the promotion of study to CPC members at grassroots organizations that are not included in education programs offered for Party officials.

Education for the Party members includes fundamental theories, knowledge, history, policies and regulations of the CPC, Party disciplines and work styles, laws and regulations, work-related knowledge and techniques.

CPC members in rural areas, urban communities, and schools are required to have at least 16 training hours in a year while the leaders of Party departments and directors for the Party building in new economic entities and social organizations are asked to study for no less than 24 hours annually.

Party chiefs in rural areas and college graduates serving as village officials will receive at least 40 hours' training at or above county-level Party schools annually, according to the plan.

Training of practical skills and techniques will be provided for the rural and migrant Party members, in particular migrant workers, laid-off workers, and retired army officers, to help them pick up at least one skill, so as to improve their capacities to start up their own business or obtain employment, it says.

While sticking to existing training methods that have been proved effective, more practical and flexible ones will be developed, such as case analysis and seminar.

Party members of county-level, or above, administrative leaders will be regularly organized to give lectures to grassroots members and answer their questions.

Training of Party members should make full use of existing facilities and venues, such as community centers and social training institutions, according to the plan.

(Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2009)