What they are saying in 'passage interviews'

Chen Baosheng, minister of education

Too much homework is harmful to students, and adjusting academic workloads requires concerted efforts from schools, teachers, education authorities, parents and society at large.

Around 270,000 after-school institutions, or 98.9 percent of the more than 273,000 establishments that had been found to be problematic, have completed reforms.

In addition, 401,000 institutions have been assessed as part of a national campaign targeting unlicensed operators and extracurricular programs that put students under too much pressure.

Some after-school institutions have moved their classes online to avoid government inspections, so the ministry will hold online institutions to the same standards as brick-and-mortar ones, he added.