Ease up on tutoring, ministry tells parents

Schools should reduce the workload of primary and middle school students during the summer vacation, and parents should not sign up children for too many tutorial classes, the Ministry of Education said on Wednesday.

"Students should be guided to spend their vacation in a reasonable and meaningful way, such as participating in social activities, getting close to nature, and conducting observation and inquiry-based learning, rather than be thrown into all kinds of tutorial courses," the ministry said in a notice.

"Primary and middle schools are forbidden from organizing students for lessons during the summer vacation, particularly lessons that charge fees. Schools that are found violating such rules will be punished by local education authorities," it added.