Beijing provides subsidies to kindergartens after child abuse case

BEIJING - The Beijing municipal government will start providing financial subsidies to kindergartens this year in efforts to improve services without raising fees.

The municipal government said Wednesday that it would provide 1,000 yuan (154 US dollars) per child a month to the city's first-class public kindergartens, and 700 yuan per child a month to other kindergartens.

The government will for the first time also allow private kindergartens to join the kindergarten rating held by district education commissions. In the past, only public kindergartens could join the rating, which is often related to different levels of government subsidies.

The municipal government has reinforced supervision over kindergartens after a teacher from a private kindergarten allegedly abused children.

The teacher surnamed Liu, at the RYB Education New World kindergarten in Chaoyang District, was arrested in December 2017, after the procuratorate of Beijing Chaoyang District pressed charges against Liu, accusing her of using sewing needles to "discipline" children who would not sleep.

The child abuse scandal caused widespread public outrage.

The government said it would provide incentives to both public and private kindergartens starting this year, to increase enrollment by giving 10,000 yuan for increasing the student quota by one. It will also offer rental subsidies to kindergartens, of 5 yuan per square meter per day, to increase space.

For private kindergartens to enjoy the subsidies, they must register as non-profit kindergartens and can only charge fees in accordance with the government guiding prices. The kindergartens are not allowed to raise fees to provide extra services or classes.