江苏省地处中国东部沿海中心，总面积10.26万平方公里，截至2007年底，全省总人口7624.5万。下辖13个地级市，106个县(市)区。改革开放以来，江苏经济和社会发展取得了历史性成就，2007年全省国内生产总值达到2556亿元人民币，发展势头强劲，是当代中国最具活力的地区之一。

　　江苏自古以来人文荟萃，文教昌盛。目前，江苏已经形成了门类齐全、结构合理、功能完善的教育体系，是一个名符其实的教育大省。江苏的教育与江苏的经济一样，在全国有地位、有影响，始终走在全国的前列：一是率先普及九年义务教育。我省于1996年在全国率先普及了九年义务教育。目前，全省义务教育阶段学校有7923所，在校生727.4万,适龄少年儿童的入学率和巩固率分别达99.6%和99.4%以上。残疾儿童的入学率达到96%。二是率先普及高中阶段教育。全省现有普通高中781所，在校生153.1万；中等职业学校634所，在校生153.6万，全省初中毕业生升学率达95.72%。三是率先实现高等教育大众化。我省现有普通高校120所，其中本科院校44所，高职高专院校76所。在校学生达到156.88万人，高等教育毛入学率达到37%。

　　与此同时，我省基础教育的发展水平得到进一步提高。近几年来，我省围绕建设高质量、高水平江苏基础教育的目标，大力推进教育均衡发展，积极改善农村学校办学条件，取得了巨大的成就，全省绝大多数学校都已建成合格学校。全面实施素质教育，整体推进课程改革，积极改革评价和考试制度，着力培养学生的独立思考能力、创新能力和实践能力，教育教学质量显著提高。高度重视师资队伍建设，有力推动教师专业化发展，造就了一大批特级教师和教学名师。积极推进优质学校建设，努力满足人民群众对优质教育资源的需求。

　　我省基础教育事业的快速发展,离不开国际间的教育合作与交流。近年来，我省大力实施教育国际化战略,在推进基础教育国际交流与合作方面取得了显著的成绩。我省已与多个国家和地区合作建立了356个办学机构和项目；先后选派中小学教师赴英国、澳大利亚、加拿大等国开展教师国际培训；组织了上万余名中小学生赴国外修学旅行；吸引外国学生来江苏学习，2007年全省来华留学生在中小学的达7310人。教育国际交流与合作的空前活跃和加速推进，对我省中小学学习国外先进的教育理念、引进世界优质教育资源、改革人才培养模式和提高教育质量都起到了积极的促进作用。

Jiangsu Province is located mid-way along China's eastern coastline. It covers an area of 102,600 square kilometers and has a population of 76,245,000 by the end of 2007. There are 13 municipalities and 106 country or country-level cities. Historical achievements have been made in economic and social development since its adoption of "reforming an opening-up" policy. In 2007, the GDP of the region reached 2,556,010,000,000 yuan (RMB), which may well indicate the accelerating development of Jiangsu's economy. Jiangsu is becoming one of the most energetic and promising regions in contemporary China.

Jiangsu is traditionally a place of culture, education and talents. A comprehensive, diversified, balanced and effective education system has been established in Jiangsu today, which deserves its reputation as "a province of education". In compatible with its status in China's economy, education in Jiangsu is also highly recognized and takeing a leading role in China:

A pilot province popularizing 9-year compulsory education. As one of the pioneering provinces in China, Jiangsu popularized 9-year compulsory (6yrs primary and 3 yrs junior secondary) education in 1996. There are currently 7923 primary and junior secondary schools with 7.274 million students. Enrollment of school-age children exceeds 99.6% while the drop-out rate is only about 0.6%. Enrollment ratio of children with disabilities reaches 96%.
A pilot province popularizing senior secondary education. There are currently 781 senior secondary schools with 1.531million students, 634 secondary vocational schools with 1.536 million students. 95.72% og junior high school graduates continue their study in senior highs.

A pilot province achieving mass higher education. There are 120 higher education institutions , among which 44 provide bachelor or higher degree programs,76 provide diploma programs. Student population exceeds 1.5688 million. 37% of college-age populations are enrolled in higher education institutions.

The development standard of K-12 education has also been improved. Major approaches targeted to the establishing of high quality and standard K-12 education system include:

Balanced development of education allocation: efforts been made to improve teaching facilities of rural school. As the outcome, education facilities of most of K-12 schools have reached the procincial standards.

All-round development of students: reforms on curricula, evaluation and examinations; focus on developing students' ability of independent thinking , innovation and practice.

Professional development of teachers: to enhance the professional development of teachers, and to bring up a large group of Senior teachers and Teachers of Excellence.

Quality development of schools: to address the challenge of increased social demand on quality educationresources.

The accelerated development of K-12 education in Jiangsu is fueled with international cooperation and exchange. The implementation of education internationalization stratagy in recent years has led to many exciting outcomes particularly in the primary and secondary education sector. 356 joint programs or joint education institutions have been established in partnership with many countries and regions.Thoursands of teachers of primary and secondary schools have received overseas professional training in UK, Australia, Canada, etc; many students participated in overseas study tour, 7310 foreigh students were recruited by Jiangsu primary & secondary schools in 2007. Active involvement and expanded participation in international cooperation and exchange is of great value to our schools, not only in the exposure to advanced education ideas and opportunities to intro ducing in quality education resources from internationalcommunities, but also in our reforms on training mode and improvement of education quality.