New laws for preschools and nurseries come into effect in January

Starting from January 1, 2023, the real-time monitoring videos in Shanghai kindergartens will be kept for at least 90 days, according to a new regulation. This is the country's first regional law for preschool children, approved by the city's people's congress on Wednesday.

Physical punishment, discrimination, insult, abuse and sexual assault are absolutely prohibited in kindergartens and nursery schools.

The law also stipulates that kindergartens and nurseries should do background and health checks of new staff before they make recruitment. People with criminal records, and history of abuse or sexual assault are strictly barred from working in preschools.

Building more affordable and accessible nurseries are also part of the new rules, which state that nurseries should be included while making plans for new residential complexes.

Also, existing communities should increase affordable nursery services to meet local residents' childcare needs.

The law targeting preschool children aged 0-6 gives full consideration to babies under 3 years old.

There are about 654,000 children aged 0-3 in Shanghai, and the preschool population is over 1.23 million, according to the city's 7th census.

Shanghai is building affordable nurseries to meet increasing needs. This year alone, it has built 70 affordable nurseries, well above its target of 50, local educational officials announced recently, adding that currently more than 97 percent of subdistricts and towns in the city have affordable nurseries.

Yang Zhenfeng, deputy director of the Shanghai Education Commission, said that the city will build more affordable nurseries next year, and by the end of 2025, it will increase the supply of the affordable nursery spots for kids from 2.12 per 1,000 residents to 4.5 per 1,000.