The purpose of establishing the educational science planning project is to build an educational science research platform, lead the development direction of educational science research, condense scientific research strength and reflect the needs of the country and society. The research on the national educational science planning project must be guided by Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Party's basic line and program in the primary stage of socialism, Theory of Three Represents and Scientific Outlook on Development, adhere to the principle of integrating theory with practice and "letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend", inherit, develop, innovate, prosper and develop educational science, serve the practice of educational reform and development, comprehensively implement quality education and improve the quality of education, and serve social construction.

The National Education Science Planning Leading Group is established by the Ministry of Education to lead the national education science planning, formulate five-year plans, annual project guides and project management methods, examine and approve key projects, review general projects and special projects, lead the publicity and promotion of major academic exchange activities and important scientific research achievements, and promote the harmonious development of education and scientific research.

The national education science plan is published every five years, generally in the first quarter of the first year of the implementation of each five-year plan; During the implementation of the plan, the annual project guide will be issued every year, and the project declaration and review will be organized. The national education science plan sets up the national social science fund, which is a major discipline, a key discipline, a general discipline and a youth fund discipline of education; Set up key topics of the Ministry of Education, youth topics of the Ministry of Education, planning topics of the Ministry of Education, and national defense military education disciplines. An important topic urgently needed to be studied by the national education decision-making department is specially entrusted by the Ministry of Education and independently established as a key topic by the Ministry of Education after being approved by the person in charge of the National Education Science Planning Leading Group.

The topic selection of the national education science plan should focus on the major theoretical and practical problems of China's education reform, development and modernization, highlight applied research, attach importance to basic theoretical research, encourage emerging, interdisciplinary research, and support the development and popularization of research results. We should strive to be at the forefront of the discipline, be original or pioneering, and avoid low-level repetition.