What we really, really want in Shanghai
Integrating more traditional culture into the education system is the most welcomed public policy among local residents, while housing prices are still the most sensitive topics that people care about, a report said.
This is according to a report on what residents think of the city’s public policies. It was released on Monday by the Institute of Sociology of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. It surveyed 2,079 people on topics including education, environment and housing.
According to the report, integrating traditional culture into the education system received the most kudos from the respondents, with an approval rate of 85.5 percent, followed by the revised traffic regulations, and a ban on fireworks within the Outer Ring Road.
However, the latest talent policy drew the lowest approval rate of only 71.6 percent, followed by the ban on certain cramming schools and the Mathematical Olympiad courses.
"The low approval rate of the talents policy was partly because it is related to only a certain proportion of people rather than the whole public," said Zhang Huxiang, associate researcher with the institute.
The report also said that the nursing service for senior citizens in residential communities was proving more popular among residents living in suburban areas than those living in downtown. Similarly, nursing services held by primary schools was more welcomed by parents living between Outer Ring Road and the Suburban Ring Road than in other areas.
The population policy on limiting the city’s population to under 25 million by 2020 was also widely accepted by local residents.
Tightened home purchase restrictions went down well with people whose monthly income is between 4,000 and 6,000 yuan (US$604 to US$906).
Concerning public topics that residents are most sensitive about, house pricing remains ranked the top, with a "sensitivity rate" of 75.4 percent, about 6.4 percentage points higher than in last year. This mirrored the residents’ reflections on the rapid rise in house prices around the beginning of this year.
Some other areas such as education, employment and medical services saw a decline in public sensitivity from previous years — reflecting the improvements in these areas, the report said.
It added residents are satisfied with the city government’s work in public areas, particularly in medical services, social security and education.
The city government is soliciting proposals online on new public projects to be set up next year to better serve the residents, the authority said on Monday.