[Grammar] Infinite or -ing form?

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dilodi83

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Are they both possible? Do they have the self-same meaning?

1) It is fundamental to creating well-educated people.
2) It is fundamental to create well-educated people.
 
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I'm not a teacher
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I'll have a try. It seems they're both possible:
1) He added: "These reforms are fundamental to creating a stronger, fairer and more prosperous society." BBC - fundamental to creating

2) In teaching about the vastness of geological time it is fundamental to create a visual representation for students to better appreciate the magnitude of this time scale and the relative positioning of critical events in the Earth’s history. DEECD - fundamental to create


Edit: there's something on my mind about the sentences but I'm not quite sure what it is and if it's right, but here it goes:
It is fundamental to creating well-educated people. - *Something* is fundamental to the process.
It is fundamental to create well-educated people. HM
 
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Thanks so much for you attempt to explain it ;-)
Are there any native or teachers who can explain it to me?
 
Thanks so much for you attempt to explain it ;-)
Are there any native or teachers who can explain it to me?
nyota did a pretty good job with a difficult question. I don't know that my response will be any better.

1) He added: "These reforms are fundamental to creating a stronger, fairer and more prosperous society."

= (roughly) These reforms are an essential part of the (process of) the creation of a stronger ....

2) In teaching about the vastness of geological time it is fundamental to create a visual representation for students to better appreciate the magnitude of this time scale and the relative positioning of critical events in the Earth’s history.

= (roughly) ... it is essential that we create a visual representation...
 
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