Most support 'double reduction' policy, report said

More than 90 percent of students, teachers and parents said they are in favor of the "double reduction" policy, which reduces students' extracurricular tutoring and homework burdens, a new report said.

The report, conducted by the China Institute of Education and Social Development at Beijing Normal University, was based on a survey of 1.69 million parents and students, teachers and principals at 3,564 primary and middle schools across the country in December and January.

The report found that 96 percent of students agree with the new policy, with parents at 92.8 percent, teachers at 90.5 percent and principals 96.8 percent. It also found the policy has achieved its intended results with fewer students attending tutoring courses and schools assigning less homework.

According to the results, more than 88 percent of teachers said they have strictly limited the amount of homework given; 75 percent of students felt their homework has been reduced; and 83 percent of students can basically finish all written homework at school.

Moreover, 83.5 percent of students said they no longer attend academic tutoring courses, and 63.3 percent said they do not take part in nonacademic tutoring courses.

As a result, the average daily sleeping hours for surveyed primary school students is now about 9.3 hours and 8.5 hours for middle school students, the report said.

However, it also found that parents still have high expectations for their children, which is the main source of the pressure students feel. More than 90 percent of surveyed parents said they want their children to obtain a bachelor's degree or higher.

More than 30 percent of parents feel anxious about enrolling their children in good schools, and nearly 30 percent said they are not willing to send their children to secondary vocational schools.