ALLEVIATING the academic workload placed on Chinese students has been one of the most heatedly discussed topics at the two sessions taking place in Beijing, with many legislators from the National People’s Congress (NPC) and members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) giving suggestions, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported from the capital city.
“We have been advocating to relieve our students of these burdens for decades, but the truth is that the students are taking on increasingly more burdens both at school and at home, while getting less and less sleep,” said Wang Guoqing, the spokesperson for the first session of the 13th CPPCC, during the session’s media conference.
Statistics show that Chinese elementary and secondary school students spend an average of 2.82 hours on their homework each day, three times longer than the global average.
Wang pointed out that relieving students of academic burdens has been a social responsibility for a long time. He suggested that more practical methods and policies be rolled out to once again provide a happy and healthy childhood for students.
A deputy of the NPC, Wang Jiajuan, who has over 30 years of teaching experience, agreed with the spokesperson. She said that a large number of parents have taken the wrong view, that you should “prevent your children from lagging behind at the very beginning of competitions.”
“Alleviating the burden on our students does not mean getting rid of all their homework. The ultimate goal is to help students take the initiative in learning,” said Dai Liyi, a member of the CPPCC, who thinks that too much pressure only kills children’s creativity and good expectations for the future.
“The homework takes up most of the students’ spare time and leaves them no time or space to think freely,” said Dai. The member pointed out that the spoon-feeding teaching style at most schools is not good at guiding students in how to think independently.
Last year’s work toward reducing the academic burdens on students resulted in some policies, such as elementary schools now being required to finish at 3:30 p.m., which is earlier than the requirement from a few years ago.
However, some working parents complain that their lives have been greatly impacted, because they have to leave work early to pick up their children or ask the off-school training centers to pick up the students after school.
In response to the dilemma, Wang Huan, another CPPCC member, suggested that related departments tailor measures to encourage schools and teachers to take care of students after school.
The spokesperson for the session also said that off-school training agencies should offer courses that foster the well-rounded development of students, rather than imposing more pressure on students and their parents with exam-orientated education that earns them large profits.
Wang Jiajuan shared that reducing the burden on students requires that educational departments change the methods schools use to evaluate and select students.
Dai, on the other hand, suggested that the country should raise the threshold for certified teachers in order to enhance the quality of education in China.