China's Ministry of Education has announced a major education reform policy banning schools from assigning excessive homework and forbidding encroachment on students' break times. The policy aims to reduce the culture of heavy studying and restore the physical and mental health of youth.
On 27 Mar 2024 GMT+7, China's Ministry of Education announced a significant education reform framework focused on promoting students' physical and mental health by prohibiting schools from assigning excessive homework and strictly forbidding the use of students' break times for teaching.
This move represents a major shift in Chinese society's attitude, which previously emphasized that children must study intensively and achieve high academic scores solely for excellence.
The new policy's main goal is to reduce academic pressure and address mental health issues among young people. Experts have identified heavy homework loads as a chronic nationwide problem leading to insufficient rest and increased anxiety and depression. Therefore, authorities have ordered schools to strictly control homework volume.
Additionally, primary and secondary students are required to exercise at least two hours daily on school days. Kindergartens are strictly prohibited from teaching primary school content ahead of schedule and from conducting excessive tests to reduce children's burdens.
Primary and secondary schools are also banned from holding any exams aimed at selecting students for admission. Schools cannot reward or punish teachers based on students' university entrance exam scores. Furthermore, the government emphasizes that schools must not infringe on children's break times under any circumstances, strictly forbidding detaining children in classrooms during breaks.
This policy aligns with the Chinese government's efforts to encourage schools to add holidays during spring and autumn in addition to the usual summer and winter breaks.
A clear example is Sichuan Southwest Aviation Vocational College, which recently announced via WeChat a six-day spring holiday from 1 to 6 April under the theme "Go out to see the flowers and enjoy love." This creative government initiative aims to promote marriage among young people and stimulate domestic consumption simultaneously.