Weekly News Brief on China Education Industry

Updated on 12/08/2021

Here is the weekly recap of China education news. Sources are right after the texts.

Educational Policy

Ministry of Educations Plans to Boost Qualifications of Teachers

China plans to raise the threshold for teachers' academic backgrounds to improve the quality of education, according to a draft amendment released by the Ministry of Education on November 29. The draft would raise academic requirements for primary school teachers from secondary vocational school degrees to bachelor's degrees. For middle school teachers, the requirement would be raised from higher vocational school degrees to bachelor's degrees.

Regarding to the management of foreign teachers in China, the draft would require that those who have obtained the teacher certification or corresponding qualification from other countries and regions to comply with relevant regulations.

(Source: Ministry of Education)

Harrow Haikou Requires Students to Take High School Entrance Exam

Harrow Internationa School Haikou recently informed parents that students must take the entrance examination to enter high school. A staff member of Haikou Education Bureau responded that the reason for junior middle school graduates participating in the high school entrance examination is the requirement of completing compulsory education.

Under the new education policy, the operation of international schools is facing a series of compliance adjustments. The curriculum design in primary and junior middle schools, foreign control and participation are strictly limited. All students need to enter the formal compulsory education system and participate in the high school entrance examination.

(Source: Caixin)

Industry Insights

Ministry of Education Announces the National Education Expenditure of 2020

Ministry of education, National Bureau of statistics and Ministry of Finance recently issued a statistical announcement on the national education expenditure of 2020. According to the announcement, the total investment in education in 2020 was 5303.387 billion yuan, an increase of 5.69% over the previous year. Among them, the national financial expenditure on education was 4290.815 billion yuan, and the national general public budget expenditure on education was 3631.047 billion yuan, an increase of 4.80% compared to the last year.

In 2020, the national average public budget on education for kindergarten students, primary school students, junior middle school students and high school students reached to 9410.76, 12330.58, 17803.6 and 18671.83 yuan respectively, with a corresponding annual increase rate of 12.3%, 5.08%, 5.81%, and 8.45%.

(Source: People's Daily)

Global News

NYU and University of Sydney Announce a New Partnership

The University of Sydney and New York University (NYU) signed a partnership agreement that will give their students the opportunity to study together, take course offerings from both universities' curricula, and participate in a reciprocal student exchange program. The first NYU students are scheduled to arrive at the University of Sydney in July 2022. In addition, NYU Sydney students will be able to enrol in a selection of courses offered by the University of Sydney.

NYU lecturers will teach on campus at the University of Sydney, with course offerings expected to include Anthropology, Environmental Studies, English, and Media, Culture and Communications, among others. These units of study will also be open to University of Sydney students. NYU will also welcome University of Sydney students to its campus in New York City, as well as its global sites, through a new reciprocal exchange program.

(Source: The University of Sydney)

New COVID Test Rules for Air Travelers to U.S.

Because of the newly discovered COVID-19 Omicron variant, the CDC requires travelers to have a negative test within one day of departure. Beginning December 6, all air travelers, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, will be to be required to show a negative pre-departure COVID-19 viral test taken the day before they board their flight to the United States.

CDC continues to recommend that all travelers get a COVID-19 viral test 3-5 days after arrival, and that unvaccinated travelers should quarantine for 7 days after travel.

(Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

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