Beijing – Despite government bans and reforms designed to reduce the burden on youngest students, many Chinese children spend their vacation in intensive learning, preparing for primary school. Parents, afraid about the future of their children, buy private courses in bulk, and kindergartens look for loopholes in regulations to meet their expectations.
Vacation alternatively of fun – learning under pressure
According to reports from local media and research, six-year-olds in China frequently have adult agendas: Monday to Friday they learn to read, mathematics and English, and weekends spend on extra tutoring. The cost of specified programs ranges from 5000 to as much as 20,000 yuan (about 2800 to 11 200 PLN), which does not discourage parents.
The government has been trying to fight this trend for years. In 2021, the Ministry of Education banned the teaching of the primary school's curriculum in kindergartens, and since June 2024, the Act expressly prohibits pre-school institutions from conducting classes beyond their level. nevertheless – as the journals emphasize Global Times and China Daily – request for transitional courses is increasing.
Why don't parents quit tutoring?
A 2022 survey in 5 provinces showed that 91.1% of parents believe that extra lessons during vacations aid children cope better at school. Over 35% have already enrolled their children for specified classes or are planning to do so.
– Primary schools anticipate children to already know the basics of arithmetic and Chinese characters, but kindergartens cannot teach them that. It's a vicious circle. – says in an interview with Xinhua Li Wei, Shanghai parent.
Kindergarten in the Face of Crisis
In the context of a falling birth rate, many private kindergartens offer informal “preparation” schemes to attract customers. According to the March 2024 survey, 70% of parents supports the introduction of early learning elements in the last year of kindergarten.
However, experts point to a deeper problem: the absence of a smooth transition between kindergarten (set for fun) and school (oriented for exams). – It is crucial to find a balance between natural cognition of the planet and excessive pressure – comments prof. Zhang Hong from the University of Beijing.
Is government bans enough?
Although local authorities closely monitor public kindergartens, the marketplace for private educational centres flourishes. Parents, without an alternative, choose between leaving their kid in a state kindergarten with additional tutoring and transferring him to a private facility offering an "fastened" program.
The Ministry of Education announces further reforms, including better cooperation between kindergartens and schools. For now, however, Chinese children are learning to keep up with the strategy alternatively of playing in the summer.
Sources: Global Times, China Daily, Xinhua, educational investigation from 2022–2024
Author: 梁安基 Andrzej Z. Liang, 上海 Shanghai, 中国 China
Email: [email protected]
Editorial: Leszek B.
Email: [email protected]
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