Chinese lawmakers on Saturday voted to adopt a law aimed at promoting family education and protecting children from excessive academic burdens.
The lawmakers passed the law, which highlights the responsibilities of parents for family education, at the 31st session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress.
The law bans parents from exerting an excessive academic burden on their children. The law aims to reduce the pressures of excessive homework and after-school tutoring. It states that the guardians of minors should appropriately organize time for their children for study, rest, recreation, and physical exercise.
Parents are required to play their role in preventing their children from becoming addicted to the internet.
Students attend after-class services provided by their school in Handan, Hebei Province, China, Oct. 20, 2021. /CFP
The law also clarifies that the country and the society should assist parents or other guardians in family education from various aspects.
According to the law, the state, schools, and society should provide guidance, support, and services for family education.
Governments, above county levels, shall take measures to ease the burden on students from excessive homework and off-campus tutoring. Schools and families shall have smooth communication channels to cooperate in students' education, the law says.
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It came after the authorities introduced a set of guidelines, known as "double-reduction" policies, to ease the burden of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring in July.
The guidelines detailed requirements in areas including reducing homework and improving quality of education and after-class services provided by schools and pledged to adopt a strict approval and supervision system for off-campus tutoring programs featuring curriculum subjects such as math and physics.