Page 13 - ELG2111 Nov Issue 478

FEATURES & COMMENT

n the 14th of September, The
New York Times ran an article
on the Chinese crackdown on
Oits after-school study market. PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK
The headline read ‘Reversing gears – China
increasingly rejects English’.
Since July, strict new restrictions on private
sector English courses have seen the share
prices of big Chinese operators like TAL and
New Oriental plummet, while online tutoring
specialists, including VIPKid and 51Talk,
have let go all their off-shore teaches.
While Chinese actions have undoubtedly
decimated the in-country market for private
English language classes, ELT is not the only
sector to be hit. It’s worth bearing in mind
that in mainland China, as in most of the rest
of East Asia, cram schools have traditionally
taught all academic subjects, including
English. Indeed, an increasing number of
English language specialist providers, such
as Rise Education, have used a CLIL model:
that is, teaching other curriculum subjects
through English. An inside job
The new ‘double reduction’ policy,
published on 2 July, focuses on courses for
children aged between six and 15, and applies
to all school curriculum subjects including
maths, history and Chinese, as well as all A realistic look at what’s happened
foreign languages.
The policy mandates change for both to extracurricular teaching in China,
mainstream schools and private after-school
providers whether on- or off-line. Primary by Melanie Butler
and middle schools are required to reduce
the amount of homework in all curriculum
subjects, while after-school providers are the capital markets nor be funded by foreign dropped by Spark, Zuoyebang and VIPKid,
banned from teaching these subjects to money. Limitations on their course prices are while companies have pivoted to focus on
this age group at weekends or during the being introduced and any advertising will be sectors like the adult and vocational-training
school holidays. strictly controlled. markets, which have not been affected.
Both sectors are now obliged to follow the What’s behind the crackdown? Well, it Several have announced plans to sell their
Chinese curriculum and forbidden to use certainly isn’t a vendetta against language existing product abroad.
materials produced abroad. As for foreign schools. The government claims it’s to reduce So far only one big player is meeting
teachers (many of whom are employed in the stress on students. China watchers say the the government demand for not-for-profit
state schools), those currently in China are country wants to reduce the cost of raising provision. New Oriental, founded in 1993,
allowed to stay so long as they meet the a child in order to enable the population has recently registered a training institute for
qualification requirements. Suitably qualified to have more children. But a report from middle school kids in Beijing. Its core business,
new teachers will be allowed in, but no online EdTech thinktank EDT & Partners suggests teaching senior high school students aged 15-
teaching from overseas is allowed. that by offering low-quality courses and plus, an age group not yet covered by the new
Preschool provision, which is predominately using hard-sell tactics, the providers may policy, will be managed as a separate business.
run in the private sector, is also affected. have brought this on themselves: “Many of Of course, teachers have been hard hit.
Online courses for children aged three to six these education companies relied heavily on Chinese graduates, 17% of whom worked in
have been banned entirely and face-to-face technology to the detriment of the quality of some aspect of education before the crash,
courses in any academic subject, specifically the services they provided... are being pictured online holding placards
including the teaching of foreign languages, “The reality is that most online institutions offering their services as private tutors,
are forbidden. have been spending inordinate amounts though that too is illegal.
of money on commercial advertising and Recruitment of foreign teachers has
customer subsidies, and the government plummeted, with one job site offering just
No new providers perceived such expenditure as distorting the two jobs in China: a legal one in a university,
can be licensed true nature of education.” a sector unaffected by the double reduction,
and one promising well-paid jobs to any
Although so far it has only been
and existing ones implemented in nine Chinese cities, the foreigner, no qualifications needed, which is
must operate on a impact of the new policy on an industry once certainly illegal and possibly a scam.
valued at US$120 billion has been enormous.
Will the Chinese after-school industry
not-for-profit basis Staff numbers have been slashed. GaoTu recover? Probably, but as EDT & Partners say
Education has laid off 10,000 staff, a third of in its report it “...is hard to envisage a future
its total workforce. TikTok owner ByteDance when the industry could revive the splendour
New regulations for the private sector has reportedly closed two online schools, and the activity registered in 2020” (https://
do not end there. No new providers can be GuaGuaLong and Qingbei, and scrapped edtpartners.com/).
licensed and existing ones must operate on a GoGoKid altogether. Find out more about the impact on
not-for-profit basis. They cannot be listed on Plans to list on capital markets have been language travel on opposite page.
editorial@elgazette.com 13