Regulate kindergartens' fees

Three ministerial departments have jointly issued strict rules to regulate tuition fees in kindergartens and many cities have taken measures to ensure that kindergartens do not charge exorbitant fees. Yet only 3.4 percent of the people surveyed have said that the regulations are working, says an article on xinhuanet.com. Excerpts:

The survey's result is not surprising because, as some experts say, despite the regulations parents find it difficult to get their children admitted to kindergartens. The situation shows that more than laws and regulations the need is for strict and effective supervision.

The problem lies in the severe shortage of education resources and a short-term measure cannot solve it.

Given the overwhelming negative response to government regulations and measures, relevant departments should find ways to win back public support with fruitful governance. There are many reasons for the high tuition fees for kindergartens, the most crucial being the lack of long-term government inputs.

This has resulted in a limited number of seats in kindergartens and an imbalance in the quality of education, which have led to further increase in tuition fees.

The operational cost of private kindergartens is gradually increasing because of lack of government subsidies, rising prices and rentals.

Therefore, government departments need to devise a systematic project to regulate kindergarten fees. The first step would be to increase financial inputs, specifying the amounts that financial departments at all levels need to contribute.

Only by specifying the amounts that different government departments have to contribute can the problem of resource shortage be solved and rising kindergartens fees checked. Besides, it requires institutional measures to balance the quality of preschool education, strengthen supervision and support private kindergartens so that they don't charge exorbitant fees.

(China Daily 09/11/2012 page9)