BEIJING -- Legislators are considering a law to ensure that preschool education is accessible to all children.

The draft preschool education law was submitted on Tuesday to an ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the top legislature, for a second reading.

Among the highlights of the draft were provisions to promote free preschool education and facilitate easier kindergarten admission for disabled children.

"This is good news. It indicates more national input and greater attention to preschool education," said a young mother surnamed Tang.

China's population slightly declined over the past two years. The number of children enrolled in kindergartens has been decreasing, leading to reduced class sizes and the shutdown of some kindergartens. Despite this, government spending on preschool education has maintained a rising trend.

Experts say such a trend is beneficial for enhancing the quality of preschool education. With smaller class sizes, children can receive better education.

Last year, 40.93 million children were enrolled in kindergartens in China, accounting for 91.1 percent of all preschool-aged children.

NON-PROFIT KINDERGARTENS

The draft stipulates that efforts should be made to gradually implement free preschool education where conditions allow.

Amid a low birth rate, the combination of the country's free preschool education and the three-child policy will jointly enhance the quality of the population, said Zhan Zhongle, a professor at Peking University.

In recent years, China has made significant strides in overhauling preschool education, converting many private kindergartens with exorbitant fees into non-profit institutions.

According to the Ministry of Education (MOE), in 2023, a total of 236,000 non-profit kindergartens, both public and private, made up 86.2 percent of all kindergartens and served 90.8 percent of enrolled children in China.

To consolidate this achievement, the draft stipulates the need to actively promote non-profit preschool education and mandates government support at all levels for the functioning of such kindergartens.

Apart from making preschool education accessible to all children, China is committed to reducing regional disparities.

The draft stipulates that the country should prioritize directing educational resources to rural, border and underdeveloped areas. It also has plans to establish a financial aid system for preschool children from impoverished households.

"The move underscores the country's and society's care for children, ensuring that the most underprivileged children have equal access to educational opportunities," said lawyer Fang Yan.

The regional gap is narrowing. From 2013 to 2023, all 17 provincial-level regions that saw kindergarten enrollment rates increase by over 20 percentage points were in the country's less-developed central and western parts, according to the MOE.

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

The draft law is also expected to facilitate easier kindergarten admissions for children with disabilities.

Non-profit kindergartens should admit children with disabilities who are capable of adapting to life in kindergarten, and provide assistance to such children, according to the draft.

Cai Lei, head of Qisehua Kindergarten in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, was delighted to learn about the new provisions. "Our suggestions have been incorporated into the draft law more quickly and effectively than I anticipated."

As the head of a kindergarten for both disabled and non-disabled children, Cai proposed suggestions for advancing inclusive education when lawmakers sought feedback on the draft law.

Cai believes that inclusive education not only embodies equality between disabled and non-disabled children but also nurtures compassion and a sense of social responsibility among non-disabled children.

"Admitting disabled children is only the beginning; the greater challenge lies in providing adequate teacher training and special equipment," Zhan said.

The draft demands that kindergartens admitting disabled children must either be equipped with necessary rehabilitation facilities and personnel or establish cooperation with special education and rehabilitation institutions.

At Qisehua, non-barrier ramps and bathrooms assist disabled children in adapting to kindergarten life. Special musical instruments, picture books and chairs are used for the rehabilitation of children with visual impairments, autism and language delay.

Qisehua Kindergarten is one of Henan's 194 pilot kindergartens for inclusive preschool education. Since 2015, nearly 2,000 disabled children have been enrolled in these pilot kindergartens, according to the provincial education bureau.

Fang noted that special education training for teachers remains inadequate across China, and there is still much room for improvement in inclusive education.

"I hope that following the enactment of the law, more supporting policies will be rolled out to bolster special education training for teachers," Fang said.