Zhuhai Implements New Guidelines for Educational Apps to Ensure Quality and Equity in Schools

The educational authorities in Zhuhai, located in Guangdong province's Pearl River Delta, have established new policies aimed at improving regulation over educational applications utilized within schools. Recently, the bureau released a document titled "Ten Measures to Further Strengthen the Management of Educational Apps in Schools," which outlines a structured approach that all educational institutions must adhere to for app selection and approval.

Under these new guidelines, schools are not allowed to impose charges on students or parents for the use of educational apps, nor can they recommend services without a proper review. Institutions must consider at least three apps of the same category during the selection process, ensuring that these resources are used strictly for educational purposes and are not tied to assessments or student evaluations.

The initiatives are designed to reinforce the role of educational apps as beneficial tools for enhancing learning experiences rather than hindrances. Officials highlighted the inevitability of digital transformation in education but stressed that a standardized approach to app usage would cultivate a more conducive learning atmosphere for students in the long run.

Xiong Bingqi, the director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, suggested that a whitelist of approved educational apps should be made publicly available, emphasizing that these resources should be accessible without costs to families. He pointed out the importance of ensuring that app content complies with legal frameworks and educational norms, prohibiting any material that is deemed inappropriate or illegal.

These new measures come in response to the swift integration of educational technology within schools, which has led to various issues including compulsory usage, unauthorized fees, data privacy concerns, and apps laden with distracting features. The bureau has noted that educational apps have become essential to many school functions, such as teaching management, homework assignments, and student assessments.

In 2019, a collaborative effort from eight government bodies, including the Ministry of Education, produced the "Opinions on Guiding and Regulating the Orderly and Healthy Development of Educational Mobile Internet Applications," marking the initial directive aimed at overseeing educational apps nationwide. Since then, other cities like Beijing and Dongguan have figured out their protocols for managing this rapidly evolving sector.

Support for the new mandates is strong among parents. Xue Yixue, a mother from Guangzhou's Tianhe district, expressed her approval of the standardized measures, noting that they would facilitate effective learning while minimizing the potential negative effects of unregulated apps. Another anonymous parent echoed similar sentiments, underscoring the necessity of regulating educational applications to maximize their contributions to classroom instruction.