Why China’s kindergartens have a problem with abuse claims
The rapidly growing sector is struggling to recruit and train enough teachers while ingrained cultural attitudes mean physical punishment is tolerated
These are boom times for the Chinese kindergarten sector.
Despite fees that are nearly double the average worker’s monthly salary, parents scramble to secure a place for their child at upmarket institutions in post-one-child-policy China.
But the private sector has also been dogged by abuse scandals. In Beijing, allegations of mistreatment have been directed against a chain owned by US-listed RYB Education, while in Shanghai, video surveillance footage allegedly showed abuse at a staff nursery for travel website Ctrip. Both incidents are under police investigation.
Experts say the sector is being undermined by a combination of poorly trained and unlicensed teachers, and lenient punishment and traditional attitudes that turn a blind eye towards, or even encourage, corporal punishment.
The issue came to a head last week when vice-minister of education Tian Xuejun said the state authorities were considering new legislation on preschool education to guarantee the sound management of such institutions.
“We are doing research into the legislation,” he said. “We will strengthen the oversight of kindergarten teachers’ ethics and will strictly check teachers’ licences when they are recruited.”