All Beijing kindergartens staffed with inspectors following child abuse incident

All the kindergartens in Beijing have now been staffed with inspectors to oversee their operation, reports the Beijing News.

Children perform at a children's festival in Beijing. [File photo: IC]

The move came after a child abuse case at a RYB Education kindergarten in Chaoyang District stirred nationwide outrage last month.

A total of 835 kindergarten inspectors have started working at over 1,500 kindergartens in the capital city.

In addition to carrying out regular inspections at least once a month, the inspectors will also conduct irregular checks, according to Shi Chaoying, an inspector in Dongcheng District.

Other methods may also be used to monitor the operations of the kindergartens.

"The inspectors are bridging the kindergartens, parents and the society to deal with concerns," said Shi.

The inspectors include educators with working experiences at kindergartens, as well as seasoned teachers and headmasters from other educational levels.

Credentials have been issued to the inspectors for them to enter the kindergartens at any time.

Educational authorities in Beijing are drafting interim measures for kindergarten inspections to stipulate the scope of work, duties and policy guarantee for the inspectors.

The interim measures reportedly will stipulate five basic duties of the inspectors, including inspections at kindergartens, giving guidance on kindergarten operation, dealing with reports and complaints, urging improvement actions to address problems, and providing feedback and suggestions to educational authorities.

Major inspection areas will include the kindergartens' facilities, safety, sanitation, faculty and management.