Ease the homework pressure and let kids be kids?
Print Edition
A NEW rule being mulled in China to allow schoolchildren to go to bed by 10pm, even if they haven鈥檛 finished their homework, has prompted heated debate about the country鈥檚 education system.
East China鈥檚 Zhejiang Province has published a draft guideline proposing students go to bed at a decent hour 鈥 with parents鈥 approval 鈥 even if they still have unfinished schoolwork to do.
The time mooted is 9pm for primary school students and 10pm for middle school students.
The 33-point action plan, published on Monday on the website of Zhejiang鈥檚 education department, also advises parents to 鈥渞efrain from competing with others,鈥 suggests boosting counseling support for students and forbids extra tutoring over weekends and school vacations.
The proposal has touched a nerve in China, with some parents concerned that reducing the homework burden will put children at a disadvantage when preparing for the highly competitive college entrance exam.
The country鈥檚 education system revolves around the 鈥済aokao,鈥 the main route to Chinese universities. 鈥淚t鈥檚 better not to take exams,鈥 wrote one on the Twitter-like social media platform Weibo. 鈥淐ancel all the entrance examinations. Protect the children. Never let the children get a little tired.鈥
鈥淚 oppose this. It will result in the children lacking a sense of responsibility from early age,鈥 wrote another.
The People鈥檚 Daily, weighed in, saying that it was 鈥渦nquestionable that very few parents want their children to bear excessive homework鈥 but that 鈥渆xcellent academic performance is necessary for the gaokao, as well as the fiercely competitive workplace.鈥
Other provinces are also considering similar rules to help reduce the burden on students, who often face long school days, high pressure and a raft of after-school classes and training.
But many supported the proposal, which called for schools, after-school training institutions, parents and education authorities to help reduce the workload placed on children.
鈥淟et children be children and be happy,鈥 wrote one on Weibo.
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