Provincial-level governments will be assessed each year on their efforts to develop local education, according to a circular released by the central government.

The authorities should conduct self-inspections and have their performance assessed by a third-party organization annually in areas such as boosting educational quality and equity, implementing national education projects and reforms, and ensuring campus safety, the circular said.

The results of the assessments will be used for judging the overall performance of provincial-level officials, it said.