A Study of Current Situation of Knowledge, Attitude, Beliefs and Practices of “Double Reduction” Policy Among Primary and Secondary School Teachers in Chenzhou City

Abstract

China has been carrying out nationwide efforts to reduce the academic burden of primary and secondary school students over six times from 1949. In June 2021, the Ministry of Education (MOE) established a department to supervise the out-of-school education and training, and suggested to further reduce the homework burden and out-of-school training for students in compulsory education (hereinafter referred to as “Double Reduction”). In order to understand the teachers’ literacy in implementing the “double reduction” policy, the study administered questionnaires to 242 primary and secondary school teachers from Chenzhou City, Hunan Province, to survey their knowledge, beliefs, practices and policies. The results showed that primary and secondary school teachers in Chenzhou city have a high degree of awareness, importance, and sustainable implementation of the “double reduction” policy in three aspects viz., students’ arrival and departure time, extracurricular training and homework management. Though, the “quantitative change” in the implementation of the “double reduction” policy is obvious, but the “qualitative change” is relatively petty low, and there is a significant difference between urban and rural areas in terms of awareness, recognition and practice. In order to reduce the burden and improve the quality, it is suggested to promote collaboration among schools, government, teachers, parents and other relevant parties to build a new ecology of lifelong education for primary and secondary school teachers, increase teacher training and support for “double reduction”, improve the ability of teachers to know, believe and act on the “double reduction” policy and give priority to rural primary and secondary education.