To further implement working arrangements planned by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on COVID-19 prevention and control and economic and social development, and as part of the broader goal to promote universally accessible, generally beneficial pre-school education, the General Office of the MOE issued a circular on April 15, calling for practical support to non-state kindergartens during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The circular calls on local education-related government departments to prioritize assistance given to private kindergartens in overcoming difficulties in this tough period. It urges local authorities to target assistance at helping these privately run kindergartens solve critical problems and addressing challenges they face, while differentiating between the different types of kindergartens.
It points out that, since the coronavirus outbreak, some local education departments have already adopted a range of policy measures to aid non-state kindergartens, including financial subsidies, reduction or waiver of rental payments and tax penalties, and other favorable financial conditions. Others need to, by following best practices and utilizing experience gained and taking local realities into account, coordinate their efforts with those of the departments of reform, fiscal affairs, human resources and social security, finance, and taxation, put into practice the state’s favorable policies and carry out research on the development of phased supportive measures for private kindergartens. All local education departments should mobilize funding from multiple channels to increase support especially to generally beneficial non-state kindergartens. While implementing the measures step by step as planned, they should give due consideration to completing the long-term supportive mechanism for generally beneficial non-state kindergartens. When deciding on the resumption date for schools, local education departments should also scale up support to those kindergartens based on their needs in terms of PPE supplies and financial aid for children.
