Ministry of Education: Some large and medium-sized cities have reached their peak in primary school enrollment this year
On the 30th, Tian Zuyin, Director of the Basic Education Department of the Ministry of Education, stated that due to population policies, the number of primary school enrollments in some large and medium-sized cities has reached its peak in recent years. The Ministry of Education guides various regions to improve the survey system for school-age children of permanent residents, comprehensively grasp the enrollment needs of local school-age children, and effectively ensure the supply and guarantee of degrees.
At the press conference held by the Ministry of Education on the 30th, a reporter asked: This year's enrollment in primary and secondary schools has basically ended. What is the overall situation this year? What measures has the Ministry of Education taken?
Tian Zuyin responded that the enrollment and enrollment work of primary and secondary schools is related to educational equity and the vital interests of the people. The central leadership attaches great importance to it, and the Ministry of Education also attaches great importance to it. In May of this year, the General Office of the Ministry of Education issued a notice on doing a good job in the enrollment and enrollment work of ordinary primary and secondary schools in 2023, further standardizing the enrollment order and improving the long-term mechanism of fair enrollment. At present, the overall implementation situation in various regions is good. We have mainly focused on three aspects of work in order to do a good job in the enrollment of primary and secondary schools and implement the requirements of the documents.
One is to actively respond to the peak enrollment in primary schools. Affected by population policies, the number of primary school enrollments in some large and medium-sized cities has reached its peak in recent years. The Ministry of Education guides various regions to improve the survey system for school-age children of permanent residents, comprehensively grasp the enrollment needs of local school-age children, and effectively ensure the supply and guarantee of academic degrees. Some places have also issued degree warnings in advance based on local conditions, guiding parents to have reasonable expectations. Regions with scarce degree resources are required to take effective measures, actively tap into the potential and expand capacity through new construction, renovation, and expansion, expand the supply of high-quality degrees, and ensure the nearby enrollment of eligible children. Let me briefly explain that degree warning aims to prioritize work and encourage the government to take measures to build schools and expand resources. Parents can also know about the enrollment situation and guide reasonable expectations. In recent years, Beijing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and other places have explored many good practices based on local conditions. If media friends are interested, they can track and understand the detailed situation.
The second is to continuously improve the basic enrollment system. According to the requirements of laws and regulations such as the Compulsory Education Law and the Private Education Promotion Law, in recent years, the enrollment and enrollment reform of primary and secondary schools has been continuously deepened. In the compulsory education stage, we adhere to the principle of free admission to nearby areas and "citizens enroll together", and prohibit the selection of students through exams or disguised exams; In terms of ordinary high schools, we adhere to local enrollment and "citizen enrollment", improve the "one basis, one combination", and form a reform model for the middle school entrance examination. In the early childhood education stage, the "Action Plan for Expanding and Improving Quality" clearly proposes to optimize the layout of urban and rural early childhood education resources, explore the establishment of a kindergarten service area system, and strive to ensure that school-age children receive universal early childhood education nearby and conveniently.
The third is to strive to ensure equal enrollment for special groups. Guide various regions to improve and implement long-term mechanisms for controlling dropouts and ensuring education, firmly hold the bottom line of not allowing eligible children to drop out of school, and do a good job in enrollment for groups such as disabled children, left behind children, migrant children, children who are actually left unattended, orphans, and students from economically disadvantaged families. Strengthen care, assistance, and educational assistance, implement the enrollment policy of "two as the main focus, two included, and based on residence permits" for migrant children, and ensure that migrant children receive compulsory education on an equal basis. In 2022, over 95% of migrant workers' accompanying children attended public schools and enjoyed government purchased private degrees. Preliminary calculations this year have also shown further consolidation and improvement.
Tian Zuyin pointed out that since the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Education, together with relevant local authorities, has investigated and dealt with multiple illegal and irregular training and competition institution activities. Taking this opportunity, the Ministry of Education once again emphasizes that it is strictly prohibited for primary and secondary schools to connect with non compliant training and competition institutions outside of school, and to use competition results, examination certificates, training certificates, etc. as the basis or reference for enrollment. We will investigate and punish places and schools that violate regulations together, and will not tolerate it. Parents are advised not to believe in false advertising linking illegal competitions to enrollment, and not to blindly enroll their children in various training classes or allow them to participate in illegal competitions.
