Shanghai issues school supervision reforms

Shanghai released a reform scheme on Thursday to enhance its supervision of schools.

Mao Aiqun, director of the Shanghai Education Supervision Affairs Center, said there are 791 supervisors in Shanghai who are in charge of overseeing, evaluating, inspecting and monitoring operation and education quality in 3,276 kindergartens and schools in accordance with relevant laws.

“Their photos, names and phone numbers are posted on a blue plate near the gate of the school they are in charge of, so parents can report problems to them directly,” said Mao. “They also visit schools once or twice a month to find problems and provide guidance on correction.”

According to the reform plan, the city will build a more professional and efficient supervision team and a more powerful punishment scheme by 2022.

“Five schools will share a full-time or part-time supervisor and some schools with large numbers of students will have their own exclusive supervisor. At least 30 percent of the supervisors will work full time,” said Zhang Hui, director of supervision office of Shanghai Education Commission.

In the coming years, Shanghai will enhance work in the publicity of inspection results, correcting issues, interrogating problem schools, as well as rewarding and punishing in accordance with deeds.

According to the reform scheme, inspection results will be open to the public to encourage schools to perform well. Schools will be asked to correct problems according to the requirements of rectification notices within given time. Supervision organizations will issue notifications to those failing to do so and their deeds will be reported to related administrations.

The city will also explore ways to establish interrogation systems at different levels with participation of not only education supervision organizations, but also other related government departments. Supervision will also be enhanced over related punishments.