School to only take kids of home owners

A kindergarten is facing a public backlash after passing a regulation to enroll only students whose parents have purchased an apartment in the school's home township in Guangdong province.

When the new school term starts in September, Huangqi Center Kindergarten will implement the policy, which requires the parents of its students to own an apartment at least 80 square meters in size, according to a notice on the school's gate.

The policy is to make sure locals get most of the benefits of what limited education resources the township has, said Liang Wanyu, director of the kindergarten, located in Dali town in the city of Foshan.

"As a government-run kindergarten, we should first ensure educational opportunities for local permanent residents," she told local media.

Luo urged students whose parents have not yet purchased their own apartments in the township to choose local privately operated kindergartens nearby.

"There are many privately run kindergartens nearby," she added.

Luo Liying, an official from the Dali township government, said it is not the intention of the kindergarten to discriminate against migrant workers.

"The kindergarten has been given the green light by the township government to enroll only the kids whose parents have owned an apartment of more than 80 square meters," said Luo, who is in charge of education in the township.

"It is only a pilot project," she added.

Luo also denied that the aim of the policy was to spur sales of properties in the township, which has a large number of migrant workers.

Liang Yongbo, a local migrant worker from Sichuan province, said the kindergarten is discriminating against the children of poor local migrant workers.

He said it is not fair to the township's migrant workers, who have contributed to the economic development of the township.

"The new regulation will never be accepted by the large number of migrant workers, who do not own apartments in the township," Liang said.

Xiao Jun, an associate professor from the Management School of Shenzhen University, said it was ridiculous to set such a high threshold for local migrant workers.

"All the people -- the rich and the poor -- should enjoy the same opportunity to receive an education," Xiao said.

"Local government has the responsibility to ensure the same education opportunities for local migrant workers," Xiao said, adding that Huangqi Center Kindergarten actually violated regulations and the principal of equal education.

The Foshan educational department has promised to launch a probe.

Xinhua - China Daily