Chinese draft law says no to tiger parents

Students play volleyball during a physical class as a daycare service during summer vacation provided by Shuanghe No. 2 High School in Huaying City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 22, 2021. (Photo by Zhou Songlin/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers are mulling a draft law banning parents from placing an excessive academic burden on their children.

The draft law on family education promotion was submitted on Tuesday to the ongoing session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee for its third reading.

The draft stipulates that parents or other guardians of minors should appropriately organize childrens' time for study, rest, recreation and physical exercise.

Parents are also required to play their part in preventing their children from being addicted to the internet.

Pinning high hopes on their children, a large number of Chinese parents would bend over backward to help their kids succeed. They are willing to fork out 200 yuan (about 31 U.S. dollars) or more for a 45-minute tutoring class to help the children score high in tests.

Burdened with heavy workloads, Chinese students are facing the increased incidence of myopia, sleep deprivation and substandard fitness that worry many.

In response to growing concerns regarding children's growth, China has initiated an education overhaul across the country.

A set of guidelines issued in July called on schools to recalibrate homework assignments, improve their classroom teaching and develop after-class services to meet students' individualized demands.

At the same time, the document strengthened regulations regarding off-campus institutions, stopping approving new off-campus, curriculum subject-tutoring institutions for students receiving compulsory education.

The draft law specifies the family education responsibilities of the parents and guardians of minors, including providing children with an understanding of personal safety to avoid incidences of bullying, abduction and sexual assault.

The public has also been encouraged to play a role in family education. The draft proposes tax incentives for citizens, legal persons and unincorporated organizations that make donations or provide voluntary services for family education.