Rule change for city students

By Fei Lai  |   2008-12-24  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

CHILDREN without a Shanghai residence certificate, or hukou, will be able to apply to the local education administration of their district to receive compulsory education in the city, according to proposals laid out yesterday.

Several amendments to current rules were floated at a session of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai People's Congress, aimed at improving the city's implementation of the Compulsory Education Law.

Under the proposed new rules, parents or legal guardians who live or work in Shanghai will be able to bring their identity cards, employment certificates and their children's identification documents to local education administrations, and the related departments will help them arrange schooling.

The committee also proposed new rules for rural teachers. At present, teachers from urban areas who volunteer in rural areas receive preferential treatment if they apply to become head teachers or want further education and training. According to the revisions, headmasters and teachers who have worked for a long time at rural schools will enjoy these same preferential policies. In addition, if they still work at rural schools when they reach retirement age, their retirement age could be extended.

It was also proposed that schools should be built at new residential areas and, to reduce the burden on students, it was proposed that teachers should not make them use their weekends and leisure time to make up for lessons missed through illness. Currently, teachers can make students take extra classes in their free time, and students have to pay for these lessons.

The committee also wants to improve communication between schools and parents, and encourage feedback from parents about students' rights and interests.