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Opening much-needed preschools
By Pan Zheng |
July 16, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
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FACED with a high demand and serious shortage of preschools, the Hangzhou government is undertaking a major expansion and converting vacant residences, offices, factories and schools into public kindergartens.
Getting children into preschools/kindergartens seems like a mission impossible for many parents. A baby boom from the auspicious Golden Pig Year of 2007 and Olympic Games Year of 2008 is getting ready to toddle into preschool.
Schools are packed as parents want their children to get a head start in highly competitive schooling; preschools are not just for fun, children begin learning.
The recent Hangzhou Preschool Education Conference noticed the problems and decided on a major expansion plan.
By 2015, 98 percent of the qualified children are expected to attend public preschools.
Participants from departments of education, finance and human resources resolved that all qualified new citizens of Hangzhou are entitled to the same quality preschool education for their children as Hangzhou residents with hukou (permanent residence permit).
Families with financial difficulties will be able to receive an education subsidy of at least 50 percent of child care fees if their children are in public kindergartens.
This year kindergartens throughout Hangzhou feel the pressure of high enrollment. In Gongshu District, the planned maximum enrollment is 3,576 children, but the actual number is around 4,000. In Xihu District, the official maximum is around 6,450, but the actual number is around 8,000.
The numbers have swelled partly because of the "golden pig" and "Olympic" year babies. People had babies in those years because they are thought to be auspicious.
Another reason is the number of migrant workers trying to enroll children in kindergartens. The migrant population is difficult to count, and only after enrollment opens do officials realize how many more children need schooling.
New kindergartens
At the same time, education resources and funding are inadequate.
For example, in Zhijiang Community in Binjiang District, there are 2,675 children eligible for kindergarten, but there are only six kindergartens with 42 classes and a maximum capacity of 1,260 children.
In this situation, vacant buildings of all kinds are already being converted into preschools. In Jianggan District, the campuses of the Pengbu No. 1 Primary School and Tiancheng Education Group will become kindergartens. In Yuhang District, all vacant school buildings will be renovated into kindergartens. In Binjiang District, a vacant office building will soon open its doors to children.
Many districts also plan to build new kindergartens. In Gongshu District, two kindergartens will be opened in September next year.
During this summer vacation, five new kindergartens will be put into use, opening 87 new classes. They include the new campus of Linpin No. 1 Kindergarten and the Xianlin Central Kindergarten. In Binjiang District, the reconstruction of Lianzhuang Kindergarten will be the key education project.
Although kindergartens are becoming more and more crowded, children of new Hangzhou citizens will receive equal treatment in enrollment.
A new regulation of the Hangzhou Education Bureau stipulates that children (ages three to six) of migrant workers with hukou in other cities will be entitled to the same preschool opportunities as local citizens.
There are some simple requirements, similar to those of local children.
Families must conform with the family planning policy. Parents or legal guardians must have residence permits and must have lived in Hangzhou for at least a year by the end of August. If they don't hold a permit, then at least one parent or legal guardian should have a one-year labor contract with a Hangzhou employer, hold a business license in Hangzhou or have paid social security fund for at least one year.
Getting children into preschools/kindergartens seems like a mission impossible for many parents. A baby boom from the auspicious Golden Pig Year of 2007 and Olympic Games Year of 2008 is getting ready to toddle into preschool.
Schools are packed as parents want their children to get a head start in highly competitive schooling; preschools are not just for fun, children begin learning.
The recent Hangzhou Preschool Education Conference noticed the problems and decided on a major expansion plan.
By 2015, 98 percent of the qualified children are expected to attend public preschools.
Participants from departments of education, finance and human resources resolved that all qualified new citizens of Hangzhou are entitled to the same quality preschool education for their children as Hangzhou residents with hukou (permanent residence permit).
Families with financial difficulties will be able to receive an education subsidy of at least 50 percent of child care fees if their children are in public kindergartens.
This year kindergartens throughout Hangzhou feel the pressure of high enrollment. In Gongshu District, the planned maximum enrollment is 3,576 children, but the actual number is around 4,000. In Xihu District, the official maximum is around 6,450, but the actual number is around 8,000.
The numbers have swelled partly because of the "golden pig" and "Olympic" year babies. People had babies in those years because they are thought to be auspicious.
Another reason is the number of migrant workers trying to enroll children in kindergartens. The migrant population is difficult to count, and only after enrollment opens do officials realize how many more children need schooling.
New kindergartens
At the same time, education resources and funding are inadequate.
For example, in Zhijiang Community in Binjiang District, there are 2,675 children eligible for kindergarten, but there are only six kindergartens with 42 classes and a maximum capacity of 1,260 children.
In this situation, vacant buildings of all kinds are already being converted into preschools. In Jianggan District, the campuses of the Pengbu No. 1 Primary School and Tiancheng Education Group will become kindergartens. In Yuhang District, all vacant school buildings will be renovated into kindergartens. In Binjiang District, a vacant office building will soon open its doors to children.
Many districts also plan to build new kindergartens. In Gongshu District, two kindergartens will be opened in September next year.
During this summer vacation, five new kindergartens will be put into use, opening 87 new classes. They include the new campus of Linpin No. 1 Kindergarten and the Xianlin Central Kindergarten. In Binjiang District, the reconstruction of Lianzhuang Kindergarten will be the key education project.
Although kindergartens are becoming more and more crowded, children of new Hangzhou citizens will receive equal treatment in enrollment.
A new regulation of the Hangzhou Education Bureau stipulates that children (ages three to six) of migrant workers with hukou in other cities will be entitled to the same preschool opportunities as local citizens.
There are some simple requirements, similar to those of local children.
Families must conform with the family planning policy. Parents or legal guardians must have residence permits and must have lived in Hangzhou for at least a year by the end of August. If they don't hold a permit, then at least one parent or legal guardian should have a one-year labor contract with a Hangzhou employer, hold a business license in Hangzhou or have paid social security fund for at least one year.
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