BEIJING - A comprehensive system will be used to evaluate the quality of primary and secondary schools in China, an official with the Ministry of Education (MOE) said Tuesday.

Zheng Fuzhi, director of the ministry's Department of Basic Education II, said the MOE has issued a circular aimed at promoting the comprehensive evaluation system, which includes five categories and 20 criteria.

The categories include ethics, study, physical and mental health performances, as well as the development of interests and specialties and workloads.

According to the ministry, the system draws on the Program For International Student Assessment (PISA), an international assessment that measures the reading, mathematics and science literacy competency of 15 year olds.

Zheng said the MOE hopes the new system will change the stereotypical assessment, which evaluates students by their scores and schools by their rates of admission into higher schools.