Compulsory education. Official website of the National Bureau of Statistics shows that in the field of education, compulsory education and basic education are basic public services provided by the state and belong to public goods. Higher education and vocational education are paid by individuals or families and belong to private goods. This classification is based on the nature of education and the source of funds. Public products are provided and paid by the government to meet the common needs of society, while private products are provided and paid by individuals or market mechanisms. This classification is helpful to understand the allocation of educational resources and the formulation of policies.