The impact of blunt force regulation on the shadow education market in China : a case study of double-reduction policy

Date of Award

8-1-2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Policy Studies (DPS)

First Advisor

Prof. YANG Shen

Abstract

China has resorted to Double-Reduction Policy (DRP) to reduce the academic burden of compulsory education students. The implementation aimed at regulating the shadow education (SE) sector is characterized by the distinctive feature of “blunt force”, which results in an indiscriminate sanction on all categories of academic-based extracurricular tutoring activities. The purpose of this study is to explore the overall impact of DRP on SE industry in two dimensions: enterprises and individuals, and based on the findings, to synthesize and distil lessons that can guide future policy decisions and improvements. The study explores around the following questions: (1) What responses have the SE enterprises made to cope with the policy? (2) What are the perceptions and attitudes of SE practitioners towards policy and government? (3) What factors affect firms' response strategies to the policy and changes in practitioners' political attitudes after the policy is implemented? Methodologically, this study adopted a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to collect primary data through interviews with practitioners in the SE sector and the release of questionnaires for the test of political trust and confidence in the government before and after the policy.

In terms of SE firms' response to the policy, the study mainly finds that (1) SE firms of different sizes have different coping strategies, with large enterprises, resorting to rich resources, choosing to move towards a legitimate transformation, while small and medium-sized firms exit the market or operate illegally underground. (2) Various problems in policy implementation have allowed large corporations to preserve illegal operations and have allowed underground businesses to still exist and tend to thrive.

Besides, in terms of the SE practitioners’ perception and political attitudes, the study mainly finds that: (1) practitioners have suffered great due to the serious career risks and plummeting income. (2) practitioners hold positive consensus on the good value of the policy, and similar views on the facts and factors hindering the policy effectiveness. (3) practitioners are divided on whether the government should consider supporting policies. (4) practitioners' political trust is at a high level, and their confidence in government remains unchanged. (5) practitioners’ trust in central government is greater than that in local government, and governments greater than officials (6) the political attitudes of practitioners are significantly correlated with perceived level of income, job satisfaction, ethnicity, marital status, position type, subjects taught, and university level.

Based on the above findings, the study further discusses reasons why the policy did not significantly affect the overall political attitudes of practitioners and the inclusiveness and strong resilience of government behaviors. In addition, the study also points out the necessity of building an educational evaluation system with diversified criteria, a more equitable system for the distribution of education resources, a regulation system with unobtrusive rules, a better distribution system of executive powers, and a more impartial and competent executive teams. Finally, the study also provides insights into the potential political risks of blunt force regulation, expecting more cautious decisions and necessary just transition moves.

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Cheng, Y. (2025). The impact of blunt force regulation on the shadow education market in China: A case study of double-reduction policy (doctoral thesis, Lingnan University, Hong Kong). Retrieved from https://commons.ln.edu.hk/otd_tpg/36/

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