Less Homework Not An Option, Say Parents

Education authorities in Zhejiang Province issued new measures to reduce the workloads of elementary and middle school students, which have irritated some parents and teachers. According to the recent government document, elementary students could stop doing homework at 9 pm (and 10 pm for middle school students) without affecting their grades. The measures aim to give students more time for sleep, the document read. However, many teachers and parents called them unenforceable. “Given the fierce competition [of getting into a good school], few parents would dare to let their children off the hook,” one Sina Weibo user commented. Experts said reductions in the workload should instead be rooted in reforming the student grading and enrollment system.