Access News - A Thank you Jesus Christian Network Site.

Chinese parents concerned with structure in government schools are starting a new but fast-growing trend in Chinese education. About 2,000 Chinese parents now teach their children at home, according to a survey of about 18,000 parents who have expressed interest in homeschooling.

More than half of the homeschooling parents told the Education Research Institute, a Beijing-based NGO, they made the choice because of the teaching philosophy in Chinese public schools. The traditional structure is extremely rigid, and depends heavily on memorization, standardized testing, and long school days.

Zhang Qiaofeng, a dad who recently started a private school to teach his son Hongwu and a few other children, told Agence France-Presse, “China’s education system has special problems. I want my son to receive a style of education which is much more participative, not just the teacher talking while students listen. Most of my son’s time is set aside for following his interests, or playing.”

Zhang accused the government of running kindergartens like prisons. He said the teachers at times locked the students inside so they didn’t have to watch them during recess. His son came home from kindergarten looking sad each day. According to the Wall Street Journal, the system is “notoriously stressful for students and families alike.”