Beijing authorities have laid down new rules to standardize the operation of preschools and regulate teacher behavior, according to Xinhua News.
Under the new rules, every kindergarten in Beijing should have a safety officer with proper training, children should be looked after by a minimum of two teachers at any time, and surveillance cameras will be installed to cover all areas in the kindergartens.
“Inappropriate behavior by teachers – including any abuse, discrimination, physical punishment or humiliation of children – will be treated severely,” the regulation says.
This rule is intended to minimize risks in the capital’s kindergartens in the wake of a child abuse scandal at Beijing RYB Kindergarten in Chaoyang District, which shocked the community and prompted citywide inspections of kindergartens.
Qualifications of kindergarten faculty members will undergo tighter scrutiny, and more teachers will be trained to tackle staff shortages, while teachers’ salaries and benefits will be guaranteed.
In addition, safety education courses and emergency evacuation drills will also be carried out regularly to improve the children’s ability to protect themselves, and parents encouraged to be more engaged in schooling.
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