Afterschool Program Shut Down After Bucking Ban

In the wake of the novel Coronavirus epidemic, governments across the world have been fast to act to protect their citizens. Regional and provincial governments in China have been rapidly rolling out directives for travel, work, and education, in order to curtail the spread of the virus. 

Among the directives were explicit instructions released to schools, both international and local, to suspend any physical classes until further notice or as directed by the health branch of the municipal council. In a notice dated Jan 26, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education laid out restrictions for the resumption of students at school and the start of the new Spring semester. That, along with the suspension of all non-essential workers from reporting to work until Feb 10, has seen the spread controlled significantly in Beijing.

But it would appear that this directive did not quite sit right with one school, which has seen its license revoked for ignoring the instructions. TianCheng International Education Consulting Ltd (Beijing) had its business license revoked on Feb 6 amid allegations that it contravened the directive of suspending all offline classes until further notice. The saga also implicates Beijing News reporter Chen Lin, who carried out the investigation, and discovered that the school was facilitating per-examination fine arts counseling and training amid the spread of the virus.

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The claim further alleges that the school admitted 72 high school students from all across Beijing, and along with ten teachers, they took part in a painting workshop which lasted for four days, from Jan 29 to Feb 1, before it was stopped by the authorities. 

Given that just days before this incident, the municipal government had issued a directive to suspend all offline classes, the school was found guilty of breaking the law under article 42 which safeguards the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases and had warranted the suspension of offline classes.

It is still unclear as to when schools might reopen their doors, but many campuses across the city, both local and international, have begun offering their students e-learning services, with those yet to start set to do so in the coming days.

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Photos: SCHOOLinSITES, asktruth24.com, Justia, bjnews.com, France24