China Overhauls Education System to Curb Academic Burnout and Anxiety

China’s Education Ministry unveils a new framework to curb academic burdens, banning schools from cutting break times and restricting frequent examinations to improve student well-being.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 27, 2026, 6:53 AM EDT

Source: Reuters

Key Mandates of the New Framework

The Ministry’s directive, published via its official WeChat channel, introduces several "hard lines" for educational institutions:

Homework & Exams: Schools must "strictly control" total homework volume. Frequent testing is banned, and primary/secondary schools are prohibited from using exams to filter or select students.

Break Time Protection: Schools are strictly forbidden from cutting into recess or lunch breaks. Crucially, they may no longer prohibit students from leaving the classroom during these periods.

Physical Activity: Building on a November 2025 mandate, students are now guaranteed at least two hours of physical activity every school day.

Pre-School Guardrails: Kindergartens are prohibited from teaching primary school curricula in advance, a practice commonly known as "curriculum snatching."