Ministry of Education: Will strictly investigate behaviors such as occupying physical education classes and not allowing students to leave the classroom during breaks

On February 25, the Ministry of Education announced that by 2026, it will thoroughly implement the Student Physical Fitness Enhancement Program, focusing on improving students’ physical health and preventing “split schedules,” as well as strictly investigating behaviors such as occupying physical education classes and prohibiting students from leaving classrooms during breaks.

On the same day, the Ministry of Education held a meeting in Beijing to implement the “Health First” work deployment. During the meeting, officials from the Ministry introduced that in recent years, the Ministry has focused on students’ physical and mental health, emphasizing key areas such as physical exercise, aesthetic education, mental health, myopia prevention, and campus food safety, actively promoting the comprehensive development of students.

Relevant statistics show that, currently, the total number of physical education and aesthetic education teachers in compulsory education has significantly increased since 2012; the 2024 sampling results indicate that the overall good health rate of students from primary to high school has increased by 9.3 percentage points compared to 2016. Additionally, the national myopia rate among students has decreased for four consecutive years.

It is reported that by 2026, the Ministry of Education will guide local authorities to focus on the critical stages of kindergartens and primary schools, ensuring sufficient outdoor activity time, controlling electronic device usage, improving classroom lighting, and effectively reducing students’ eye strain. (Xinhua News Agency)