Beijing's largest school for migrant children to close

A well-known school for migrant children in Beijing has been ordered to close down after operating for 20 years.

The Education Commission of Shijingshan District posted an open letter on Aug 7 to parents of students at the Huangzhuang School, announcing the school would close down because its license had expired.

The commission promised to relocate students to nearby establishments, and provide or recommend new positions to its teachers.

Two days later, the property owner of the premises on which the school sits, Beijing Jindu Landscaping and Greening Co Ltd, issued a notice to the school saying it will take back the land rented to it because it violated its contract — by subleasing part of the land to a third party and building illegal constructions on the land.

Access to the school has been blocked by security workers from the company, which said the supply of electricity and water to the school will be cut off on Aug 24.

The Huangzhuang School, a non-public school founded in 1998, has more than 1,700 students, nearly all children of migrant workers.

It was granted a license in 2009 and is thought to be the largest school for migrant children in Beijing, offering education to pre-school, primary school and junior middle school students.

Chen Enxian, headmaster of the school, said it signed a lease contract in 2005 on the use of 1 hectare of land with the predecessor of Jindu Landscaping and Greening, an entity affiliated to the Beijing Gardening and Landscaping Bureau. The contract was supposed to expire in 2025.

Chen denied the company's claim that the school violated the contract, saying the school has rights to sublease part of the land according to an addendum signed in 2007.

Chen admitted some new buildings erected after the contract was signed have not been granted property ownership certificates from authorities.