(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-02-22 07:30

The high fees charged by popular schools is becoming rampant in Beijing, and it is time the government set a clear timetable for the achievement of educational equality, says an article in Beijing News. The following is an excerpt:

A recent survey by Beijing Normal University showed that the average zexiaofei, or fees charged by popular primary and secondary schools was now 20,000 yuan ($2,740) each student. This extra expenditure obviously places an extra burden on families and widens the gap between different schools. In addition, the money collected by these schools in sponsorships also leaves room for possible corruption.

Some well-equipped schools keep on raising their fees. Some charge as much as 60,000 yuan per student. Moreover, they also check an applicant's test and interview scores, and the social positions of parents. This pushes parents to force their children to study even before they enter primary school.

They are taught to recite ancient Chinese poems, play musical instruments, and speak English. These popular schools place a physical and psychological burden on parents and students.

Although the Beijing municipal government is working on a way to curb the fees of popular schools, what many parents hope to see is educational equality, and the balanced development of all schools. To put it in another way, they hope that schools near their homes are no different from those that have a popular reputation.

The government should look into all primary and secondary schools in Beijing and classify them according to their educational standards. For those schools that are well-equipped, they should be allowed to enroll students from other districts and make public the fees charged.

The fees should be subject to higher taxes and this money used to support the development of the weaker schools. Teachers and school managements should also be encouraged to transfer from one school to another, especially to schools near their homes.

(China Daily 02/22/2008 page8)