Previously, a number of policy advisors proposed that school teachers should not assign homework to students and ask parents to correct homework via social media apps. The Ministry of Education's recent reply shows support for this proposal, since it's a teacher's responsibility to evaluate homework.

In recent years, many schools are shifting responsibility to parents, making parents homework mentors and supervisors. This has caused both pressure for students and anxiety for parents. This is not a conducive way of nurturing self-learning and self-management skills.

Although some provincial educational departments have issued regulations on schools requiring they not assign homework to parents, problems still exist.

Education should be a combined effort among schools, families and the wider society. In fact, parents can cooperate with schools through a parent committee. This supervisory role should conduct functions such as safeguarding students' rights when they are treated unfairly by teachers.

The core of a parent in a child's education should be ensuring that they are succeeding as a well-rounded individual, leaving the teaching to the professionals.

(This is an edited excerpt of an article originally published in Beijing Youth Daily on February 16)