City's New Reg。 Bans Foreign Textbooks in Compulsory Education

City's New Regulation Bans Foreign Textbooks in Compulsory Education

Beijing has recently issued the "Implementation Details for the Selection of Primary and Secondary School Textbooks." This document specifies that textbooks for primary and secondary schools must be selected from the catalogs issued by national and municipal education authorities. Importantly, it prohibits the use of foreign textbooks in compulsory education schools, while general high schools are also generally discouraged from using them. Districts are required to establish mechanisms to monitor and evaluate the selection and usage of textbooks.

According to the details, district education departments are responsible for selecting national and local curriculum textbooks. They may delegate this responsibility to high-quality, well-managed general high schools. Each district must review the textbook selection results, publicize them on the district education department's website for at least five working days, and submit the results to the municipal education department within 30 working days after the selection process is completed.

During the usage period of textbooks in primary, middle, and high schools, changes should only be made if mandated by national or municipal authorities. Districts are encouraged to commission professional bodies with expertise in curriculum development, teaching research, and quality monitoring to gather feedback on textbook usage from teachers, students, and parents in at least one-third of the schools using the textbooks. This feedback will contribute to an evaluation report that will help decide whether to continue using or replace a textbook.

If an assessment finds a textbook version unsuitable for educational purposes, the selection unit must seek approval from the municipal education department before selecting a new version. Replacements should ideally begin with the initial grade to avoid disrupting the teaching process. In cases of serious procedural violations, improper influence on the selection process, failure to deliver textbooks on time, unauthorized alterations to approved content, or other serious issues, the selection unit must reselect the textbooks.

Source: The People's Government of Beijing Municipality

Get daily news, tips, and events in Shanghai

Connect with expat communities and industry experts

For the latest jobs&policy updates, scan the code below to follow AnyJob! 

If you have any questions about China visa applications (work visa, company registration and more), please contact our visa consultant Lisa.

Click "Wow" if you like this article