Recently, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China ("CPC") and the State Council have issued the Several Opinions on Deepening the Reform of Preschool Education and Regulating Its Development (the "Opinions").
The Opinions clearly specify the principles, objectives and specific measures for the reform of pre-school education and its regulated development. First, it is emphasized that preschool education will be made universal and affordable. Affordable kindergartens will account for 80 percent by the year 2020. Second, efforts will be made to supply a wider range of resources, take full advantage of unused resources to build kindergartens, and regulate the building and operation of kindergartens affiliated to residential communities. Third, the cost sharing mechanism will be improved to establish a reasonable fee standard for public kindergartens and intensify the oversight of tuitions and fees charged by private kindergartens. Fourth, the building of teaching forces will be strengthened to secure the status and benefits of kindergarten teachers in accordance with the law. Fifth, practices to pursue excessive profits will be curbed, and private kindergartens will be required to submit their respective audited financial reports every year in accordance with relevant regulations and no private kindergartens will be allowed to go public either as independent or a portion of assets. Sixth, the quality of health care and education shall be enhanced. The country will work out a guide to the availability of toys, teaching aids and books in kindergartens. And last, law-based regulation will be reinforced. An educational inspector system will be implemented by kindergartens to supervise their fulfillment of published responsibilities.