China’s middle class families fret as President Xi Jinping ‘tightens grip’ on international schools
- Despite strong demand from middle class families, the government has introduced tough new curbs on the lucrative private education sector
- International schools are finding it increasingly hard to operate under the regulations, with some choosing to abandon the country altogether
International schools in China are under increasing pressure to adopt state-approved curricula, forcing some to withdraw from the country altogether and stoking unease among middle-class families who want their children exposed to Western education.
Last week, Harrow International School in Hainan, a prestigious British private institution, notified parents that students must be taught a Chinese curriculum from grade one to grade nine, and junior high school students must pass a state-run test to graduate.
The sudden change, which has alarmed the international education sector in China, means students will be taught official versions of history, politics and geography, said a member of the school’s student recruitment team, who refused to be identified.
“Education policies have been changing dramatically this year in China and we have to comply with the government’s requirements,” the source said.
China is tightening its grip on schools offering international curriculum
“Although there is so far no mandatory requirement for international school students to pass China’s college entrance examination, we do prepare and adjust our high school students for the syllabus in advance.”
“China is tightening its grip on schools offering international curriculum,” said Xiong Bingqi, deputy director of the Shanghai-based 21st Century Education Research Institute.