Navigating the Challenges of Compulsory Education: A Critical Examination of China's Double Reduction Policy

Abstract

The article focuses on China's "Double Reduction" policy announced in 2021, which aims to ameliorate the high mental pressure of students associated with massive homework and limit tutoring services, thus mitigating high education anxiety and expenditure. The policy focuses on China's nine years of compulsory education, and the article is written in the form of content analysis with literature reviews and policy analysis. By decoding the policy terms and interpreting existing literature, the article offers insight into the impact of such a ground-changing policy. The result of the analysis is that although the policy effectively alleviates educational anxiety and costs, it also exacerbates social divisions and damages the quality of compulsory education. The new educational policy of China aims to magnify the gap between different socioeconomic statuses. Research argues that when addressing social issues and mental health issues, it should not come at the expense of education. The article calls for a balanced and careful approach to dealing with educational problems, and suggestions to mitigate the potential challenges, like gradually reducing assignments step by step and making asynchronous video lectures available for students nationwide, have been offered.