Preschool kids need new ideas, not old rules

Beijing education authorities launched inspection tours of kindergartens this week to ensure that children are not overburdened with schoolwork.

Although Chinese, mathematic and English are supposed to be taught to primary school students, it is not uncommon to see preschool-age children across China being forced to study these subjects. Preschool education should focus on cultivating children's behavior rather than focusing on books, because forcing children to learn primary school lessons in a kindergarten could reduce their interest in learning.

In 2012, the Ministry of Education told kindergartens not to burden pupils with schoolwork on the pretext of holding special or experimental classes. The ministry also directed kindergartens not to assign homework to preschool children. But in practice, few local education authorities and kindergartens have followed the rule. Some kindergartens claim to abide by the regulation but still teach preschool children Chinese, math and English.