GUANGDONG, China: A secondary school in southern China has faced significant backlash since implementing a quota that restricts students to using the toilet only once during class for the entire term.
This toilet policy was highlighted in a photo reportedly taken by a teacher at Ruyuan County High School in Guangdong province during an internal management meeting in late August, as reported by the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald.
Concerning classroom discipline, the school specifies that each student is permitted to use the toilet in emergencies only once throughout the entire term, according to a PowerPoint slide presented during the meeting to outline the rule.
If students exercise this right a second time, they must request that their parents come to the school to collaborate with the administration on their child’s education.
For a third occurrence, the student will face a punishment; however, the specifics of the penalty are not detailed in the slide.
The school emphasised that the enforcement of this toilet policy is part of maintaining discipline in the classroom.
“A teacher’s responsibilities include managing classroom discipline. Any issues related to discipline will be considered when assessing teachers’ professional capabilities,” the PowerPoint slide stated.
“Classroom discipline performance influences teachers’ annual evaluations, promotions and eligibility for awards,” it further continued.
Ruyuan County High School is a prominent model school in Guangdong. The senior secondary school comprises 57 classes across three grades, with a total of 3,200 students.
About 90 per cent of its graduates were admitted to middle-tier or higher-quality universities in China, according to statistics from previous years.
When contacted by the media, an anonymous official at the school initially described the toilet quota as a “misunderstanding” but quickly amended the statement to call it a “rumour.”
The local education authority reported receiving complaints about the toilet restrictions and is currently verifying the matter with the school, the article indicated.
The toilet policy has incited public outrage and garnered widespread criticism across China.
“The authorities must put an end to this inhumane regulation. The school should face serious consequences,” one commenter declared.
“It is a school, not a prison. Even inmates enjoy more freedom than students,” remarked another individual.
A third user from eastern Shandong province reminisced: “My school required students to obtain their form teacher’s signature to use the toilet during class; without permission, you were not allowed to go.”
Schools in China imposing strict regulations on students frequently make headlines.
Last year, a parent in south-western China’s Sichuan province filed a complaint with the provincial government, claiming that a junior secondary school in Chengdu prohibited students from leaving the classroom during the 10-minute break. Instead, the school instructed students to remain seated and memorise textbook material during this interval.
Earlier this year, a primary school in Shanghai came under scrutiny for not allowing students to play on the playground during breaks or lunchtime.
These incidents prompted the country’s Ministry of Education to issue a document in March denouncing 20 unregulated behaviours by schools, including intruding upon students’ rest time, restricting their physical activity and assigning excessive homework. - South China Morning Post
