Saying that this is a strange time for everyone is an understatement by now. In the education industry, schools, students, parents, and after school programs are scrambling to plan ahead, new COVID-19 cases are discovered and tentative re-opening dates once again postponed. So during this time of uncertainty, what’s the plan for your child’s academic future?
We took an informal poll in expat groups of parents with school-aged children to get a feel of how parents are reacting to the situation. The poll was conducted on WeChat via a personal account and distributed among a range of parenting and education groups. It had a total of 240 respondents (but if you missed out this time, don’t worry as we are conducting a second, even more thorough follow-up poll that you can take part in.)
The biggest take-away? Of those who participated 66% said that they intend to re-enroll their children in their current school despite COVID-19 uncertainties and concerns of whether their school may be able to return to normal next semester.
More than one in ten – 11% to be exact – are undecided as to re-enrollment. Some parents – 8% of respondents – are unhappy about how their school has handled the coronavirus crisis and are looking to switch schools. Another 8% have decided to homeschool their children for the next semester. The final 7% replied with ‘Other’ which could indicate they are considering leaving China entirely.
The next couple of months will be a critical time for schools to consolidate their existing enrollments, and potentially woo other families who are actively seeking to change schools, with the start of the fall semester traditionally beginning around mid to late-August.
What are your thoughts on how your child’s school has coped with COVID-19 restrictions? Share your thoughts by scanning the QR code in WeChat below to take the poll.
KEEP READING: “It Gave Me a Lot of Freedom”, On The Pros and Cons of Homeschooling
Photos: beijingkids, Unsplash
