Legislators of the People’s Republic of China have initiated deliberations on a preschool education law. This proposed legislation underscores a firm commitment to providing accessible preschool education for all children in China. The draft law was tabled for discussion during the current session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.
The need for more accessible preschool education was highlighted by China’s Minister of Education. The minister noted the obstacles many parents face when enrolling children into kindergartens because of steep fees. This creates a significant financial hurdle for many Chinese families.
The legislation places importance on the government’s role in creating a comprehensive system of state-sponsored preschool services. The outlined system would extend across urban and rural areas. The draft law also addresses the need to narrow educational disparities in preschool education across different regions, which local governments have been tasked with managing.
An important feature of the draft is the proposed financial assistance system aimed at supporting preschoolers from low-income families. The inclusion of children with disabilities who can adapt to the kindergarten environment is also envisaged. Further, the draft legislation details the role of non-governmental organizations in contributing resources for preschool education. In the effort to keep preschool education accessible, social capital will be restricted from taking control of state kindergartens or non-profit private kindergartens through business mechanisms such as mergers or acquisitions.
The government’s role in increasing its investment in preschool education is reinforced in the draft, along with a push to better kindergarten teacher training. The draft law underscores the importance of prioritizing the safety of children in kindergartens.
As part of the law, preschool institutions would be prohibited from testing children, outside necessary medical examinations. Burdening children with primary school curricula would also be banned, an issue that has been previously raised and continues to persist in Chinese preschool education.
The introduction of this legislation coincides with China’s struggle with a low birth rate. Back in 2016, the restriction of the “one-child policy” ended, but expected population growth did not follow. Financial constraints largely contribute to this, as over half of parents expressed concerns over financial capacity as a reason against planning for a second child.
This information was sourced from a recent article on Jurist.