Tourist payments, education in focus

School textbook inspections to be launched

The Ministry of Education said on Wednesday that it will launch a nationwide inspection targeting primary and middle schools that use textbooks from other countries or those that compile their own textbooks.

Schools that are part of the nine-year compulsory education system can use only textbooks approved by the ministry, and no adaptations or changes can be made, it said.

The ministry urged local education authorities to conduct a thorough inspection of all primary and middle schools within their jurisdictions by Oct 15.

In the meanwhile, textbook publishers are required to examine their contents based on their curriculum standards, and they must submit a report on the self-examination before Oct 10, it said.

The ministry said it will organize a panel of experts to come up with advice on revision to the textbooks, which can only be put to use after approval from the ministry.

It added that the use of textbooks containing arbitrary changes must be halted before the start of spring semester in 2019, and new textbooks should be adopted.

Crackdown targets obscene websites

Authorities closed more than 4,000 websites and online accounts during a three-month campaign targeting vulgarity and obscenity in online literature works.

The campaign, jointly launched by the National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications and the State Administration of Press and Publication in May, also ordered the rectification of 230 online literature operators and removed 147,000 pieces of harmful information.

The campaign, targeting content in online novels that spread improper values, vulgarity or obscenity as well as those involving copyright infringement, included measures such as relevant website self-checks, inspections and criminal investigations.