Educating young children: a new law in China to ease the...

China has passed an education law aimed at reducing the stress of homework and after-school studies, state media say.

Parents are asked to ensure that their children get enough free time to rest and exercise, and not spend too much time on the Internet.

China banned written exams for children aged six and seven in August.

Officials warned at the time that the written exams were detrimental to the mental and physical health of children of that age.

In the last year, the government has taken some measures aimed at easing children’s attachment to the Internet and common cultural manifestations.

The National Committee of the People’s Congress approved the last law on Saturday, and the competent authorities will have to implement the law and secure funding for non-school activities programs for children.

Reactions to the law varied on social media, with some users praising the law while some questioned whether parents and local authorities would be able to do the job.

One user said, according to the South China Morning Post: “I work from nine in the morning until nine in the evening, and when I get home will I have to take on the responsibility of family education?”

“It is not possible to exploit workers and ask them to have children,” he added.

The authorities have stripped online education companies of the possibility of making profits by teaching core subjects.

The new guidelines imposed restrictions on foreign investments in the field of education, and on the private sector, which was generating an income of 120 billion dollars before the new measures.

It was initially seen as easing the financial pressure on families with children, after the number of newborns fell to a record low.

Unequal opportunities in education also pose problems, as wealthy parents spend huge sums to send their children to the best schools.