Parents in Beijing were shocked to learn this week that in-person classes at after-school training centers in many districts have once again been suspended until further notice – and this time it had nothing to do with Covid-19.
The Chaoyang District Education and Training Institutions’ Special Management Bureau issued a notice on Mar 10, targeting after-school classes for primary and secondary students, language skills training, and institutions related to entrance examinations.
Many had just resumed in-person classes that had been suspended for extended periods over the last year due to Covid-19.
The announcement follows after similar documents that were issued in Haidian, Dongcheng, Xicheng, Changping, and Tongzhou districts. Currently, it is unclear whether the measures will be enforced in other Beijing districts.
The notice indicated that training centers are being targeted as part of a comprehensive investigation of all existing institutions to strengthen overall legal compliance. In addition, it also emphasized that training centers will be spot-checked without prior notice.
“The notice did not say how long the suspension will last, and some [institutions]worry that large-scale refunds will be necessary,” the founder of one Beijing children’s English training center told Institution Teacher Reference. “This has a great impact on small and medium-sized institutions – and it may also cause them to open classes secretly in order to survive.”
At the same time, parents have also raised objections to the abrupt suspension and the necessity of continuing to rely on online coursework. “Children can only take online classes — what will happen to their eyes?” was a common refrain.
One staff member of an offline language training institution said in an interview with Financial Connection News that the governance of off-campus classes was a hot topic at the recently concluded Two Sessions government meetings in Beijing.
In the long run, standardization of the education industry is an inevitable trend. Stricter supervision will make funds, licenses, and qualifications more uniform.
However, some have expressed concern that the policy is likely to cause difficulty for some regular small and medium-sized institutions to survive, and may result in further fee increases, leading to a greater burden on parents.
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Images: Baidu Image, Institution Teacher Reference, CaiLian Press
