Forums > Living in Kunming > Foreigner children attend local primary school? Let's bring back another old thread, because time has passed.
Our son is turning 5 this spring, and apparently he gets to enter primary school in autumn next year - at 6 years old due to the cutting date in China being in autumn rather than end of year.
I'm looking for intelligence on what to expect in grades 1-2, primarily about education itself, and specifically reading and writing Chinese language.
This could be issue for us, because wife works weekday evenings and weekends in training school, and let's just say that I'm not qualified to help with Chinese homework.
My wife tells me to not to worry, because the recent crackdown in educations means grades 1-2 get no homework whatsoever, Chinese or otherwise.
Other side of the coin is that the same crackdown bans buying tutoring, should we need that.
I'm looking for recent experiences to confirm these things. Kid is treated as Chinese if that matters, and speaks the language fluently given his age.
Forums > Travel Yunnan > Dinosaur park between Kunming and Chuxiong To backtrack to the original topic, there is a review of the park from 2016 on this site:
www.gokunming.com/[...]
Does anyone know if the park today operates at same level of quality as witnessed in the article, or has it been improved or fallen from that?
To get there, the article recommends taking bus from Kunming West bus station to Lufeng (1h30min) and then small bus to the park (40min), and leave the park before 16:30 to catch last bus to Kunming.
To connect back to the more recent posts, does the high speed train to Dali stop at Lufeng? That would allow for better options to get there from Kunming - maybe even day visit there and get to Dali by evening.
Forums > Living in Kunming > Any place to watch NBA games? China's state broadcaster CCTV has apparently resumed showing select NBA games this month, after couple of years stoppage.
Warriors @ Spurs on CCTV-5 right now. Meanwhile QQ continues to stream most of other games.
Forums > Living in Kunming > COVID 19 vaccine for foreigners I recall by-appointment was mentioned in the first doses too, but neverthless you could just walk in without.
Probably appointment was originally needed for schools or others potentially large groups, and extended to everyone in way that is common bureacracy here - only to be ignored in the end.
Forums > Living in Kunming > Hospital recommendations for giving birth I'm not sure what qualifies as "proper VIP" for you, but I would suggest to settle to any medically qualified maternity hospital that can arrange private room where not only your wife, but also you can sleep the couple of nights prior to delivery if needed - if that's what you want of course.
Government sues parents to get kids back to school
发布者But what is free?
Is it free, if it is funded by tax payers? Or state-owned tobacco sales?
Most foreigners in China I expect to break above the 4800 RMB monthly income limit, and therefore be interested to know that their tax contributions provide (among other things) education to Chinese youth.
But Chinese not so much. Many do not earn over 3500 RMB a month, and especially not the typical villagers and parents in locales where children drop out of compulsory education.
I argue that however little people earn, they should have to provide even a marginal tax contribution to raise awareness about efficient spending of those contributions.
Then again, that may still not be in best interest of the Chinese state.
China hands out happy city awards, Kunming sad
发布者@bilingualexpat:
Yes, I agree that China is far behind many countries, and when measuring happiness in international level, money starts to play less important role.
China has obvious disadvantages when it comes to civil liberties and democracy for example. People in countries that are arguably better positioned in those aspects, that knowledge alone will make them feel better about their own lives - even if financially they would not fare relatively any better than average Chinese.
But these awards in OP were limited to Chinese cities and I assume to Chinese respondents (by huge proportion anyway).
China hands out happy city awards, Kunming sad
发布者In Chinese context, Chengu has still been boasting GDP growth in the double digits or very close anyway, and while few will admit that money brings happiness, increase in GDP will translate to some degree of hope and positive vibe among the Chinese residents.
In national level, China's double digit days are over, but they were there anyway at some point. Was it ever so for Kunming? (not that I know if it still is)
Government sues parents to get kids back to school
发布者I don't get this part (or I probably do, but disagree wholeheartedly):
"an official at a county-level education bureau in Yunnan told local media in 2014, explaining the local attitudes. "By the time he finishes school, all the good girls would be married, and it'd be hard for him to find a wife.""
Is (was) this "official" saying that if a boy takes his compulsory education to the end and finishes school at 15-or-so old, all good girls are married by then?
Hello?
"No marriage may be contracted before the man has reached 22 years of age and the woman 20 years of age."
Perhaps the schools should have more classes about the laws of China, so at least the future generations wouldn't need to be sued to take their kids to school.
Life in Kunming: Studying Chinese in the Spring City
发布者Well, I for one am closing on 5th full year in Kunming, and can not speak Chinese more than casual greetings or understanding how much money to give when I buy something.
Local spouse contributes a lot to avoid having to learn, and since neither of us are teachers, family happiness comes before frustrating teacher/student relationship.
Also, to me it seems that it gets easier to manage without Chinese every year - I suppose it is some kind of development both ways.
But I have been considering taking formal classes - not so much to hold a conversation, but as backup plan if things change career or otherwise.