Tutors who ignore rules may face lifetime bans

People caught seriously violating extracurricular tutoring regulations will face hefty fines and a lifetime ban from working in the education sector, according to a new guideline.

The guideline's release comes as the government tries to strengthen administrative law enforcement in the education sector to better implement a comprehensive crackdown on after-school tutoring for primary and middle school students.

The guideline, jointly issued on Wednesday by the ministries of education and justice and the State Commission Office for Public Sector Reform, said all after-school tutoring companies and online platforms that are caught violating regulations will be dealt with accordingly, and people who provide tips to the authorities will be protected and rewarded.

It was issued as part of efforts to better implement the "double reduction" policy, which aims to reduce the amount of academic tutoring and lessen the homework burden faced by primary and secondary school students.

An administrative law enforcement mechanism to regulate the after-school tutoring sector is expected to be in place by the end of this year. It will be headed by education authorities, and significant improvements are expected to be made in administrative law enforcement's manpower, quality and effectiveness, the guideline said.

Local education authorities should ensure funding and staffing for the new mechanism, and they should make sure all new officials undergo required training and obtain necessary permits.

The mechanism's main task will be to prevent misconduct by tutoring companies, such as operating without a license, violating regulations on educational content, fees and tutoring hours, and holding competitions among students, the guideline said.

On Nov 30, 68 officials from the Ministry of Education became the first batch of education officials in China to obtain administrative law enforcement permits.

Ma Huaide, president of the China University of Political Science and Law, said education administrative law enforcement authorities are responsible for implementing and improving education laws and regulations.

While the crackdown on the tutoring industry has achieved positive early results, covert violations have impeded progress, which has led to the need for urgent improvement in education law enforcement.