The general offices of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) have jointly issued a document entitled “Circular on the Further Improvement of Governance of Kindergartens Affiliated to Urban Residential Communities”, containing comprehensive guidance for management of these entities in 2020.
The circular states that since the inception of urban community affiliated kindergarten management in 2019, local educational departments have taken various types of action to address issues related to planning, construction, handing-over and proper use of affiliated community kindergartens in urban areas, and have achieved positive results, which has played a vital role in increasing generally beneficial pre-school educational resources. 2020 marks the completion of this management initiative, which will mark the successful fulfillment of all rectification and reform tasks on schedule and serve as a necessary precursor for the improvement of the pre-school education assurance mechanism and achievement of the 2020 goal of quality pre-school education for all.
The circular also emphasizes that, local educational authorities must redouble their efforts to prepare for the 2020 management work program, on the basis of their experience and lessons learnt in 2019, and by referencing to indicators such as the gross enrolment rate of three-year preschool education, the coverage level of generally beneficial kindergartens and the ratio of children enrolled in public kindergartens to pupils enrolled in all types of kindergartens.
For community affiliated kindergartens that have not yet finished implementing rectification and reform measures, the Circular urges them to pursue their efforts through clearly designed measures implemented in a gradual and progressive manner. It also sets time limits for three types of kindergarten: those to be transformed into generally beneficial kindergartens, those with assets to be handed over, recycled, replaced, or purchased, and those that are newly constructed, altered, or redeveloped.
The circular stresses the need to enhance supervision and accountability in the management of local community affiliated kindergartens, by incorporating the management progress into the performance evaluation of provincial governments in their educational work and severely sanctioning any fraudulent activities and the practice of formalities for formalities’ sake in the process. The joint office of MOE and MOHURD will regularly communicate updates on local progress.
