The separation between general education and vocational education mainly means that students choose to enter ordinary high schools, ordinary universities or secondary vocational schools and vocational colleges according to their academic achievements and hobbies, so as to promote their good personality development and become useful talents in society. Its essence and core idea is to fully respect students' personality characteristics and conduct scientific guidance on the premise of combining students' specialties and personal wishes.

The separation policy must be implemented uniformly throughout the country. The separation of general education and vocational education is not a new policy. 1985 issued the "central decision on the reform of education system", which clearly put forward the concepts of "separation of general education and vocational education" and "roughly equivalent".

"In accordance with the requirements of vigorously developing vocational and technical education, the majority of young people in China should be generally diverted from the middle school stage." "Strive to make the number of students enrolled in vocational and technical schools of various types in most areas equal to that of ordinary high schools in about five years, and reverse the current unreasonable secondary education structure."

Since 20021,the rumor of "5: 5 split in senior high school entrance examination" has been constantly flowing out, which means that half of junior high school students have no chance to go to ordinary high schools and universities, but can only go to high technical schools and be diverted to the lowest level of society. Although the Ministry of Education has not confirmed the truth of the news, the principle of "adhering to the ratio of general to post" has confirmed this from the side.