Primary schools in Beijing to accept renters’ children

BEIJING: Tenants in rented properties in Beijing can now send their children to schools in their own neighbourhood as part of a recent effort by the authorities to improve education equality.

Primary schools previously could only accept the children of local homeowners. But that regulation has been lifted to include renters who hold household registration, or hukou, in another part of the city.

The rule change is aimed at providing young couples more options in their children’s education, according to Feng Hongrong, deputy director of Beijing’s Education Commission.

To be eligible, one parent must have a stable job within the metropolitan district in which they rent, such as Haidian or Chaoyang, for more than three consecutive years.

Chu Zhaohui, a senior researcher at the National Institute of Education, said the regulation is convenient for young Beijing residents with hukou (registration), as it gives their children easier access to schools. However, he warned that the policy could put more pressure on Haidian and Xicheng districts, which have a lot of highly regarded primary schools.

China’s law on compulsory education, introduced in 2006, states that governments should provide students access to education in the place where they hold hukou.

In 2014, Beijing issued regulations allowing pupils into primary schools near their homes to distribute education resources more fairly.