The Shanghai educational authority has vowed to regulate the introduction of overseas curriculum in international schools, raising alarm among local parents who prefer their children to take international courses which are helpful for their future overseas study.
The Shanghai Municipal Education Commission released a notice on its official Sina Weibo account on Monday, saying that textbooks and curriculum during the nine-year compulsory education period should be determined by the national educational authorities.
The notice said that private schools are not allowed to get students registered in advance.
An employee from the Shanghai-based Maple Leaf International School told the Global Times on Wednesday that the policy mainly aims to clear up unqualified international and private schools and schools that have adopted a complete international education system, such as the UK system and AP courses since middle schools will also be regulated.
Some international schools in China offered a mishmash of A level courses that follow the UK system and AP courses that are accepted in the US and Canada.
An insider who works in an international school told the Global Times on condition of anonymity that some international and private schools have not adopted Chinese courses and the government may be upset because of the Western culture taught in these schools, which is different from the traditional Chinese culture.
According to the Ministry of Education, there are 90 international programs in public high schools in China which have been approved by the authorities.
