HONG KONG: China’s Education Ministry said on Tuesday it was launching a campaign to tackle problems such as excessive homework and bullying in schools as part of efforts to improve students’ mental health.
The news came a day after the ministry said it was offering mental health education for teachers and students, especially for rural children or children whose parents “remain” working in big cities for a year.
The notice, published on the ministry’s website, describes 12 negative practices at the school, including abuse during scheduled breaks, neglect and bullying.
From 2021, Beijing aims to reform the education sector and ease academic pressure on students, and curb the $120 billion private tutoring sector to reduce education costs. Many residents cite the cost of childcare and higher education as reasons for not having children.
The announcement follows the killing of a 13-year-old boy in northern China, which has sparked a heated debate about teenage delinquency and the plight of children left behind by migrant workers.
Three boys were accused of terrorizing a student to death on March 10 in the small town of Handan.
