Guangzhou adopts fairer kindergarten enrollment method

The move is intended to make enrollment fairer, as people have long complained that kindergarten attendance is usually a privilege for children whose parents are officials or employers at State-owned enterprises.

Under the draft regulation, the percentage of enrolled students on a random computer-generated waiting list will continue to increase over the years, to reach 90 percent in 2016.

Guangzhou has 16 city-level public kindergartens. They are sponsored by Guangzhou government bodies, including the bureaus of finance, civil affairs, public security and cultural affairs, according to the draft regulation.

They can follow their own selection procedures to enroll 30 percent of students in 2013, but in 2016 this will be reduced to 10 percent.

Some 14,000 students will be enrolled by the 16 kindergartens this year, with 10,000 assigned to their kindergartens by computer, the Nanfang Daily reported on Wednesday.

Under the draft regulation, eligible parents holding Guangzhou residence permits and with children three and four years old must submit their applications in April to a designated website.

In late April, enrollment results will be announced.

Parents must take their children to the receiving kindergarten for confirmation and registration. If they miss the confirmation deadline, their children will be denied enrollment and the computer will assign the slot to another child.

In early May, the 16 kindergartens will inform the public of the enrollment choices.

The draft regulation is open to public suggestions by e-mail, fax and mail from March 12 to 22. Once enacted, it will be effective for four years.