China population: city dangles free high school education for third child amid birth rate crisis

In Weifang, Shandong province, families will not have to pay high school tuition fees for the third child

The measure is part of a series of incentives Chinese local governments are rolling out to stimulate births

Reading Time:2 minutes

China’s birth rate dropped to a record low last year, with 6.77 births per 1,000 people – the lowest since 1949. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:00am, 23 Mar 2023Updated: 10:11am, 23 Mar 2023

A local government in eastern China is controversially offering free high school education for the third child in a family, as authorities roll out a variety of incentives for couples to have babies amid a record-low birth rate.

After relaxing its one-child policy in January 2016, China introduced a three-child policy in May 2021 in response to the country’s declining birth rate, which is expected to weigh significantly on the country’s economy in decades ahead.

In Weifang, Shandong province, families will not have to pay tuition fees for the third child at high school, according to a policy issued by the city government on Tuesday.

The new rule, which some said impairs educational equality, will apply to babies born after May 31 last year, the government said.

China has nine years of compulsory education for free, followed by three years of paid high school tuition.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x