‘Parenting school’ introduces point system to help create ‘five-star parents’

The school has already awarded 'parenting certificates' to more than 220,000 successful parents.

A province in China has introduced a point system to its parenting school in order to better aid those studying to become better parents. According to an official notice by the Zhejiang Education Bureau last week, the Shangcheng district in the city of Hangzhou has offered a digital 'parenting school' for the public since 2020 and has already awarded 'parenting certificates' to more than 220,000 successful parents across the province. The school offers free classes on caring for and communicating with children aged 15 and under, South China Morning Post reports. Classes correspond with the needs of children of each age group. Classes for parents include lessons on dealing with a preschool child's temper, raising children of an elementary school age to be empathetic, and communicating with tweens and teens throughout puberty. Each class is worth several points and when parents reach 100 points, they are awarded a star. The aim is that participating parents continue until they become 'five-star parents.' Participation is voluntary and the school said no one will 'fail' classes. Reaction to the news was mixed on Weibo, a social media site often dubbed 'China's Twitter.' "No one is born knowing how to be a parent, you should not stop learning," one person wrote. "There's no family education theory or specific methodology that can help you cope with your children throughout their lives," another commented. "Even a professional educator or counsellor cannot master everything. What's the meaning of a parent taking classes that scratch the surface?"