She Yu, Researcher of the Development Research Center of the State Council, Delivers a Lecture in the Child Development Center

On March 6, She Yu, researcher of the Development Research Center of the State Council, visited CDRF, and delivered a lecture on "Early Childhood Development in China: Policy Review and Realistic Challenges". He also discussed the evolution and trend of China's policies on early child development for children under 6 years old.

She Yu pointed out that plenty of children found it difficult to receive scientific and adequate guidance on child development due to the lack of resources, scientific knowledge and methods. However, the supply of early childhood education and childcare services could not satisfy the demand. Hence, we were now facing the double challenges of heavy demand and short supply. We must start from families, clarify responsibilities assumed by governments, shore up financial investment, fully integrate such resources as education, health and family planning as well as communities, propel social forces into orderly participation, and perfect and enrich public childcare services.

She Yu highlighted that despite remarkable achievements in the reform and development of preschool education, the problems such as "difficult and costly access to kindergartens" remained serious, and that the priorities and difficulties in basically popularizing preschool education were still concentrated in rural areas. To tackle these problems, we must improve policies and mechanisms, approach from system design and key support, and take a range of appropriate measures based on local conditions, to ensure that preschool education in rural areas truly achieves sustainable development.