China to implement free preschool education in stages

(ECNS) -- Starting from the upcoming autumn semester, China will exempt children from care and education fees in their final preschool year at public kindergartens, according to a guideline issued on Tuesday.

The move aims to effectively improve the country's public education services and popularize preschool education, according to the guideline issued by the General Office of the State Council.

For children enrolled in private kindergartens, their care and education fees will also be reduced in accordance with the amount exempted at local public kindergartens, according to the document.

The fiscal departments will provide subsidies to kindergartens to cover their losses, the document said.

Meanwhile, local governments are encouraged to implement economic support policies for children from financially disadvantaged families, orphans, and children with disabilities to guarantee their access to preschool education.

In the annual government work report issued in March, China outlined groundbreaking efforts to "promote free preschool education in a phased way."

Free preschool education should be advanced steadily, taking into account factors such as demographic changes in school-age children and socioeconomic development levels, while adhering to the principles of doing our best within capacity and implementing the initiative in a step-by-step, orderly manner, experts said.

(By Zhang Dongfang)