China to launch checks on after-school training programs

BEIJING -- China will launch a new round of national campaign among after-school training institutions, targeting extracurricular programs that put students under too much pressure, the Ministry of Education said Tuesday.

County-level education authorities nationwide will conduct a comprehensive examination of after-school institutions, while provincial and municipal education departments should carry out spot checks on off-campus institutions in key areas, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, the ministry will dispatch inspection teams to some provincial-level areas, and the examination should be completed by the end of June 2019.

A number of after-school institutions were found to have taught courses that were too advanced, placing children under too much pressure and causing unnecessary competition among students.