Private school in China requires both parents to hold college degrees

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The time of year for parents to register their children for elementary school has arrived. However, an enrollment requirement in a private school in southern China has sparked controversy.

But the requirement is not a harsh standard for students. Instead, a private school in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, has insisted that both parents hold at least a bachelor’s degree.

Students at a private school in Huizhou, Guangdong Province take golf lessons once a week. / CFP Photo

The school will interview students this Saturday, but the parents will also have to prove their qualifications by bringing along degree certificates.

Some netizens questioned online: “Is the school recruiting students or parents? If parents didn’t go to university, does it mean their children cannot receive a better education?”

But others think it is reasonable for private schools to set certain thresholds.

Students take equestrianism courses in China's eastern province of Zhejiang. /CFP Photo

Local education authorities have banned such limits, arguing the requirement is not in line with fairness in education.

Lawyer Lei Siming with the Beijing Lawyers Association said private schools do enjoy autonomy, and are allowed to set their own rules for independent recruitment. However, they should not abuse the power.

“The National Education Law stipulates that all citizens have equal right to receive education, regardless of their family background. All private schools should abide by the law and conduct recruitment without any forms of discrimination,” said Lei.

Students walk on the campus of Eton College, one of the most well-known elite schools in the world. /CFP Photo

As the wealth of Chinese families has grown, the private education sector has flourished. Research published by McKinsey in January 2015 revealed that 10 percent of schools in China were private, up from three percent a decade earlier.

According to the Ministry of Education, China is now home to about 162,000 registered private schools nationwide with 46 million students. However, unlike in Europe and North America, where private education means elite teaching and high discipline‍, private schools in China are generally loosely regulated, and sometimes have questionable standards.