Zhanjiang takes action on '3:30 pm issue'

Parents pick up their children at the school entrance. [Photo/gdzjdaily.com.cn]

Parents today are faced with a dilemma: How do they pick up their children from school, which ends at 3:30 pm, when they have to work? The so-called "3:30 pm issue" has taken center stage at the ongoing two sessions.

Among the solutions proposed by parents in the southern city of Zhanjiang were to send the children's grandparents to pick them up, have their children take a school bus home, or more ideally, have them participate in after-class activities organized by the school.

"After-school fun", a program launched by Zhanjiang No 8 Primary School, was praised by local parents and students. The school started providing free after-school activities in 2014 to ease the burden on parents and help its students develop in a more well-rounded way, according to the school's president Xie Wendong.

Children of all grades can learn jump roping, basketball, graphic design, 3D printing and computer programming. Others can choose to do their homework or read books in the classroom. Teachers are on hand to answer any questions.

Students play basketball after class. [Photo/gdzjdaily.com.cn]

Lin Likai, a 12-year-old student at Zhanjiang No 8 Primary School, is one of the beneficiaries of the program. "I'm a LeBron James fan and love to play basketball with my classmates after school. It's great, we even have coaches from Lingnan Normal University to help us!"

Local education authorities have rolled out a series of regulations on these after-school programs. According to the Zhanjiang Education Bureau, after-school activities are not compulsory and should not be run for profit. Their content, safety measures and any associated fees should be made known to the public and are subject to supervision.

Students do their homework in the classroom. [Photo/gdzjdaily.com.cn]