BEIJING — China has initiated a nationwide campaign aimed at addressing critical issues in basic education, including campus bullying and excessive homework burdens on students.
According to a circular released by the Ministry of Education on Tuesday, the campaign will continue until the end of the year. It focuses on regulating and rectifying problems related to safety breaches, disorder in daily management, and faculty misconduct within educational institutions.
The circular outlines a detailed list of 12 prohibited practices in basic education. These include encroaching on students’ scheduled 10-minute breaks, neglecting or tolerating bullying behavior, and compulsory education institutions organizing exams intended to select students.
Other banned activities encompass concealing or mishandling significant incidents, discriminating against students from vulnerable groups, subjecting students to corporal punishment, and engaging in unauthorized fee charging.
The Ministry of Education has directed local authorities to refine this negative list, conduct self-inspections, and implement corrective measures. The authorities will advance the campaign through various means, such as conducting research across different cities and counties, appointing inspectors to supervise schools, and providing professional guidance.
To ensure effective enforcement, a supervision and exposure mechanism, along with a reputation evaluation system, will be established during the campaign.
China is home to nearly 500,000 primary and middle schools and kindergartens, staffed by over 16 million teachers educating 230 million students. The education system faces disparities between urban and rural areas, leading to notable variations in school management levels across different regions.
Shi Zhongying, head of the Institute of Education at Tsinghua University, noted that the 12 prohibited behaviors are not new policies but a reminder of the minimum standards. “The objective is to raise awareness and ensure that school faculty uphold and adhere to these standards,” Shi said.
“The campaign will have a positive impact on improving the governance and capacity of basic education in the new era, as well as optimizing the overall ecosystem of the education sector,” he added.
Reference(s):
China launches campaign to fight key issues in basic education
cgtn.com
