China releases guidelines for managing preschool education development funds

BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Education have released guidelines for the management of funds supporting the development of preschool education.

These funds are allocated and transferred from the country's central budget, and will be managed by the two ministries, according to the guidelines.

The funds will aid the expansion of access to high-quality preschool education and the implementation of China's policy to waive care and education fees for children in preschool.

The guidelines urge local finance and education authorities to establish comprehensive, performance-based budget management mechanisms. These local government departments are required to set reasonable performance targets, and to improve the efficiency of fund allocation and utilization.

Finance departments at all levels should also strengthen their routine fund management oversight, per the guidelines.

Last week, China announced that from the 2025 autumn semester, it will waive care and education fees for children in public kindergartens in the year prior to their entry into primary school.

The move aims to effectively lower education costs and improve the country's public education services, according to a document issued by the General Office of the State Council.