Two training institutions in Beijing were publicly criticized on Saturday for illegally offering private tutoring services in academic subjects to preschool children, says the state-owned Global Times, adding that a nation-wide campaign targeting curriculum-based private training is making ‘solid progress’. 

The two institutions, whose identity was not disclosed in GT report, were ordered to suspend the operations and refund the tuition fees. They will be awarded punishment after further investigation by law enforcement departments.

Both institutions organized training in spelling, writing, mathematics and calculation, and English for pre-school children during the summer vacation. 

The crack down on such institutions was launched in July and will continue till end August. It covers a slew of cities across the nation, including Beijing. 

China introduced a set of “double reduction” rules last year to ease the burden of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for young students  “ in a bid to ease the burden on students and their families and promote equality in the education sector”, says Global Times report. 

Data from the Ministry of Education this February showed that the number of off-line private tutoring institutions were down  by 92 per cent from 124,000 to 9,728.  For online private tutoring institutions, the number was slashed by 87.07 percent to 34 from the previous 263 after the “double reduction” policy. was rolled out. ###