BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) — Chinese lawmakers are considering a draft law that is expected to facilitate easier kindergarten admissions for children with disabilities.
The draft preschool education law has been submitted to an ongoing session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, China’s top legislature, for its second reading.
Non-profit kindergartens should admit children with disabilities who are capable of adapting to life in kindergarten, and provide assistance for those children, the draft stipulates.
If parents or guardians enter into a dispute with a kindergarten regarding the admission of a child with a disability, the relevant county-level government education department should collaborate with the relevant health department to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the child’s physical condition, ability to receive education and ability to adapt to kindergarten life, and resolve the issue in the proper manner, according to the draft.
If a child has special needs due to a physical condition or disease, their parents or guardians should inform the kindergarten of their situation, and the kindergarten should provide the child with special care, per the draft.
To strengthen safety precautions in kindergartens and their surrounding areas, the draft includes the provision that kindergartens should take prompt measures to protect children in cases involving the infringement of rights or other dangerous situations.
The draft law was put before lawmakers for its first deliberation in August 2023, aiming to ensure preschool education is of a high quality and accessible to all children.
