The Achievements, Challenges and Future Path of the "Double Reduction" Policy Implementation

Abstract

Alleviating the burdens of students and parents constitutes the key objective of the "Double Reduction" Policy and boost public satisfaction with education by improving in-school classroom teaching quality, offering after-school tutoring, and regulating off-campus academic training institutions. Since its implementation, notable progress has been made with active cooperation from schools, parents, and institutions. However, challenges persist across subjects, and developing differentiated, locally tailored solutions aligned with the times has become key to deepening the policy. Using a literature review method, this study systematically sorts out domestic and international education burden-reduction theories, educational policy analysis frameworks, and relevant "Double Reduction" policy texts, statistical data, and academic research. While achievements are evident—restructured school after-school services, reduced parental burdens, standardized off-campus institutions, and improved educational ecosystem and satisfaction—problems remain: insufficient school teaching staff, unmet curriculum demands, parental concerns over academic outcomes (leading some to turn to high-priced non-academic training), students’ poor adaptation and low autonomy, off-campus institutions’ financial strains and uncertain transformation prospects, and significant gaps in educational resources and policy implementation between developed and underdeveloped regions (with greater implementation difficulties in the latter). Due to subject-specific demand differences and uneven regional educational development, dynamic policy optimization is needed. Moving forward, a multi-dimensional, collaborative governance system should be built: strengthen teacher training and curriculum resource development in schools, guide parents’ educational concepts, improve non-academic training supervision, and establish long-term educational assistance mechanisms for underdeveloped areas to realize the high-quality advancement of basic education.