Beijing relaxes rules on school entry for renters' children

Students receive new textbooks on the first day of a new semester at a primary school in Huairou district, suburban Beijing, Feb 26, 2018. [Photo/VCG]

A proposed plan that aims to allow the children of renters better access to schools in their neighborhood was rolled out in Beijing, reported Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday.

According to the proposed plan released by Beijing Education Commission on Wednesday, a school-age child who is a permanent resident of the city and lives in a rented home can enroll at a primary school nearby.

The plan is designed to give young people who don't have their own house more options for their children's education, said Feng Hongrong, an official from the city education commission.

The rule targets children from a family who lives in one district and has the family members' hukou, or permanent residence, registered in another one.

To be eligible for the proposed policy, one of the parents should have worked for over three years in the district where they rent a home.

The plan also proposes strict regulations against recruiting students for primary and secondary schools based on participating in after-school education organizations as well as a ban on schools organizing tests for enrolling students.

China's Law on Compulsory Education states that governments should offer adolescents of school age access to education in schools where their permanent residence is registered.