Editor's note: Many Chinese primary or middle schools make it parents' obligation to check and sign off on the homework of their children to help supervise their studies. Taiyuan education bureau recently banned schools from asking parents to check and correct their children's homework. Do parents have the responsibility of engaging in their kids' academic education? How much parents should get involved? Readers share their opinions.

mbursian

Who's to say the parents know all the correct answers? I would certainly agree that parents should instill proper study habits and supervise their study. Parents need to help their children develop social skills and graces, build character and independence, build confidence and self-esteem. When my three kids were in school, I would check their homework every night... sometimes questioning their answers and having them re-look or re-read questions or text... sometimes offering suggestions with a thorough explanation and when necessary showing them how to solve math problems/equations. I didn't do my kids' homework for them, but I made sure they understood it and how to solve problems and arrive at answers. Showed them how to use encyclopedias, dictionaries and a thesaurus... pre-internet days. Yes, that is time consuming, particularly for a single parent, but I instilled in them the importance of learning and developing good study habits. It comes with parenting... it is a responsibility of raising a child. Leave teaching academics to the teacher. A lot of parents today simply aren't cut for it; they're too lazy or too busy... and unfortunately with the latter it's because of social media.

A student does his homework in front of a computer. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

ceciliazhang

Most parents think it is entirely the teachers' job to educate their children. If the kids don't ever go over what they learned at home to reinforce what they have learned, they are less likely to remember it. Parents should be involved with their kids schooling and signing homework is a way to hold parents accountable for their part in their kid's education.

An elementary school student does his homework as schools have been suspended amid the novel coronavirus outbreak in Shanghai on March 3, 2020. [Photo/sipaphoto.com]

DMZappa

If a child is having problems or failing to complete their homework there is nothing wrong with this. It also shows that parent is participating and showing interest.

Mom helps son with his homework in Nanjing, Jiangsu province on Sept 24, 2013.[Photo/IC]

TedM

The issue here is that students in China work long hours in school and are given unrealistic amounts of homework that detract from the need of children to have a normal family life. Many parents demand such homework and add to the burden with private tuition. Parents need educating about how children learn, and the great importance of learning from natural family interaction. Those clever parents who want to include their child in family life and want to take them out on visits, and want them to have adequate rest etc. are forced to do their child's homework to create time for this.

A primary school student takes an online class at home in Jingjing county. [Photo/Xinhua]

cyyy99

First，leaving all the homework to parents to check is definitely wrong. But through this public argument I think many people shows unreasonably excessive expectation and grudge towards teacher for they have little knowledge about the real situations of teachers and they may unconsciously demonstrate a tendency to avoid their educational responsibility. Not a few parents comment on the internet that we pay for teachers to educate our children and they should work their ass at it without considering teachers rights as a mere human being. Besides，they also gives a signal that it is all teachers' responsibility. Which implies their reluctance to perform their own educational duty. But a good education is supposed to involve teachers, school and parents. Parents are children's first teacher who exert a lifelong influence on kids.

MA XUEJING/CHINA DAILY

Alex

I don't think this kind of schools and teachers are totally responsible for this kind of phenomenon. Another reason is that parents nowadays expect too much of their children. This kind of expectation is transformed into pressure on teachers and schools inevitably. Therefore, some teachers shift some teaching burden to parents in hope to make their students become elites. The real problem is: if you don't help your children with their homework, a lot of other parents are eager to help" Then what you should do?

A girl does homework in an air-raid shelter at People's Square in Chongqing, Southwest China, Aug 24, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]