At a press conference held at 4pm today, Tues May 13, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission (BMEC) announced the latest round of class return dates, this time for Grades 11, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, and Kindergarten. With high school seniors already back in class since Apr 27, and Grade 9 students back this Monday, May 11, the announcement provides further welcome news to Beijing parents of school-aged students.

The BMEC did not, however, announce when students of Grades 1-3 would be returning to class. The reason to delay the return dates of these grades is likely to prevent overcrowding on primary school campuses. Unlike at most international schools that range from K-12, most local public schools start from Grade 1, and kindergarten is located on an entirely separate campus. Furthermore, the commission announced that kindergartens may begin reopening on Jun 8.

Here is the most updated list of return-to-class dates for Beijing schools:

Grade 12 – already back at school, as of Apr 27
Grades 10 – 11  – Jun 1
Grade 9 – already back at school, as of May 11
Grade 8 – Jun 1
Grade 7  – Jun 1
Grade 6 – Jun 1
Grade 5 – Jun 8
Grade 4 – Jun 8
Grades 1-3 – to be announced at a later date
Kindergarten – Jun 8
After school training centers – to be announced at a later date

Very little was said about university education at today’s press conference, which likely means a return to campus is still a ways to go for college kids. However, the education commission did say that college seniors may return after June 6, though they are not compelled to do so. Since college seniors will typically take on internships in their final semester, and thus usually do not have classes; this may be a gesture to simply allow them back to pack up and say goodbye.

Please note that the announcement made by BMEC today was based on the local Chinese education system and grades, which can differ slightly from the grade names used at international schools. Please double-check with your child’s school directly if you are unsure when your child should prepare to return to school.

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Images: Element5 Digital (via Unsplash)

Late last night (May 5) WeChat groups began to buzz with speculation that the Beijing Municipal Education Commission (BMEC) had decided to shut down all kindergarten and preschool programs for the remainder of the year. The discussions seem to have been provoked by messages allegedly from school administrators sharing this news, along with information on how this would stand to affect their teachers’ contracts and employment status.

At this stage, we cannot officially confirm whether this message is authentic or that schools have indeed been given a directive to close by the BMEC. However, the Commission has made no official statement on their website or social media platforms. According to the BMEC website, they have not issued any new information since April 16.

Furthermore, on Apr 21 the Ministry of Education (MOE) sent out a press release urging local support for private kindergartens. The press release “calls on local education-related government departments to prioritize assistance given to private kindergartens in overcoming difficulties in this tough period. It urges local authorities to target assistance at helping these privately run kindergartens solve critical problems and addressing challenges they face while differentiating between the different types of kindergartens.” Furthermore, they state that “all local education departments should mobilize funding from multiple channels to increase support especially to generally beneficial non-state kindergartens.”

In Beijing, high school seniors are already back on campus and grade 9 students will follow suit on May 11. There is currently no news as to when the remaining grades will be able to return to school. On Apr 27, the MOE also recommended that schools stick to their regular hours, and discouraged adding additional classes to summer vacation and extending school hours. They suggested schools to stick to regular Monday through Friday schedule and online classes to make up for classwork lost to COVID-19. If classwork genuinely cannot be completed within the remaining regular school days, the ministry suggests moving some assignments into the next school year.

KEEP READING: Does a College Education Really Make Cents?

Photos: Unsplash

Today marks a monumental day in Beijing’s battle against COVID-19. It’s a day that, just a short two months ago, seemed all but unimaginable. Simply put, it’s the day that parents, students, and faculty have longed for: the day when students in Beijing were finally allowed to return to school!

It began with an early morning alarm, a rinse in the shower, and the first time in a while that fashion choices needed to be considered. (Back into the closet with you, sweatpants!) On subways, bikes, and in cars, students crisscrossed the city eager to take that first step onto campus and set eyes on friends who, until now, had been confined to WeChat and Zoom windows. Unfortunately, there were no tearful reunions complete with hugs or high-fives, as social distancing is still the order of the day, but it was certainly another notch in the belt of normalcy and a return to life-as-we-knew-it.

Over the last few weeks, school personnel have worked tirelessly to sanitize their facilities, set up temporary nursing stations for students who exhibit symptoms, and stock up on personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks, and goggles. Moreover, they’ve been conducting drills to ensure that, during high-traffic periods such as lunch time, entering or exiting the campus, and even bathroom breaks, the flow of students remains minimal.

WAB student returns to campus

To be sure, there’s been a lot of hoops to jump through and life on campus still won’t resemble that which we’re used to. Rather, it will continue to demand sacrifices from everyone involved. No matter the sacrifices though, both students and teachers were overjoyed to be back in the classroom, and spirits were indelibly high.

“We are excited about these first steps to return to campus,” said Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) Head of School Marta Medved Karjnovic. “I am grateful for each student, parent, and staff member who has demonstrated the resilience, determination, enthusiasm, and togetherness that are the defining characteristics of the WAB spirit. This is the constant that helps us overcome whatever comes our way. My hope is that in returning to campus, our Grade 12 students find a sense of comfort, closure, and normalcy even though they have completed their academic requirements and are beginning to turn their focus to university and beyond.”

Meanwhile, across the city Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB) shared “Having our senior students back on campus was certainly cause for celebration among staff who have been preparing and eagerly awaiting their return since the lockdown began.” through the school’s official WeChat account along with highly anticipated photos of their student’s return to campus.

CISB student returns to campus

While other grade levels still await the news that they can return to school, the knowledge that at least some students in the Capital were learning in the classroom is a dramatic and welcome shift from the e-learning environment that defined the first few months of 2020. As such, it’s only a matter of time before schools across Beijing are buzzing with knowledge and blossoming fresh ideas once more.

KEEP READING: School Conducts Trial Run for Students’ Return

Photos: Western Academy of Beijing, Canadian International School of Beijing

With COVID-19 now spreading more rapidly overseas than inside China, teachers and students who are currently outside of Beijing have received messages from their schools advising them not to return until a formal reopening date for schools is announced, according to teachers and families.

Several families with children in international schools as well as teachers acknowledged receiving the message this afternoon.

The note comes more than a month after schools were scheduled to resume after the Chinese New Year, but due to the outbreak that hit Beijing in late January, all school campuses have been shut. Most except the youngest grades have been conducting online classes in the interim.

No school or after-school training in Beijing may reopen off-line teaching before authorized to do so by the Beijing Education Commission, which in turn oversees each district’s bureaus.

What is true is that no teachers, students, or administrators are allowed to return to any school campus until (a) formal permission to reopen is given by educational authorities, and (b) the individual has conducted a 14-day self-administered home quarantine in Beijing.

The announcement comes at a time when the spread of COVID-19 has been largely controlled in almost all of China, while overseas infections are on the rise.

Officials now see the biggest risk to cities like Beijing is the re-importation of the disease from travelers returning from overseas.

China customs has already confirmed 75 inbound passengers as carriers of the disease, with another 779 suspected of being infected.

Earlier this week two planes arriving in Beijing from Moscow were discovered to be transporting passengers with the virus.

While we have no accurate stats on how many teachers and families with school-aged children are still outside Beijing, estimates range all over the place, from 25% to 75%. A survey circulated at the beginning of February to WeChat groups heavily used by local parents and teachers indicated that 30 percent had left Beijing to wait out the crisis.

To date, we have no word on when school may resume. In the mean time, we’re keeping tuned to all official government and school channels and adding what we know to our School Updates blog here.

Photo: Unsplash