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China's Ministry of Education convened a national conference in July 2023, to promote the country's work related to implementing the "double-reduction" policy. The event was held in Beijing. Huai Jinpeng, Minister of Education, delivered a speech. Wang Jiayi, Vice-Minister of Education, presided over the meeting.
Two years ago, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the General Office of the State Council (the central government's cabinet) released the Opinions on Further Reducing the Burden of Homework and Off-Campus Training for Compulsory Education Students. The Opinions took immediate effect. The "double-reduction" policy aims to address the most prominent problems in compulsory education — the excessive academic burdens on primary and middle school students, and the over-heated, off-campus tutoring, which has not only overloaded parents financially and mentally, but has also seriously hedged the outcomes of education reform.
Huai noted while organizations involved in work related to implementing the "double-reduction" policy have made major strides, in both regulating after-school tutoring and improving in-school services, greater efforts must be made to reduce pressure on both students and parents. He noted perseverance is vital to success, as implementation of the "double-reduction" policy is a complex, lengthy process. The minister stressed the intensive academic rat race needs to be reversed, to ensure balanced, equitable and quality compulsory education.
Huai outlined the instructions of the CPC Central Committee on implementing the "double-reduction" policy, at both the micro and macro levels. At the micro level, education-supervision departments (in various regions of the country) should improve their oversight of tutoring institutions' training quality and charging standards. Also, primary and middle schools (across the country) should improve their education and teaching methods, and strengthen their management over homework assignments, after-class services and management of in-class teaching. At the macro level, greater efforts should be made to deepen education reform, to promote quality, balanced and equitable compulsory education. Also, greater efforts should be made to reverse the trend toward utilitarianism in education, and to create a healthy educational environment.
Government officials (from various provinces) shared their respective regions' experiences in implementing the "double-reduction" policy. Consensus was reached on sustaining collaborative efforts to ensure education reform delivers substantive improvements.
(Women of China English Monthly September 2023 issue)
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