Chongqing - Chongqing issued management measures to standardize enrollment and teaching of international students in kindergartens, primary schools, and secondary schools, providing international students with more opportunities and convenience to study in Chongqing.

The overseas students study at Yew Chung International School of Chongqing. (Photo provided to iChongqing)

Four types of education for overseas students

"Since entering school in September, the boy and girl have quickly adapted to the study life here, especially the eldest can continue to study the German course," said Smith, who came to work in Chongqing this year.

Smith's two children are studying at the KL International School of Chongqing Bashu (KLISCB), one of the educational options offered to expatriate families in the Chongqing area.

There are four main types of schools for expatriate families to choose for their children. The first option is international schools, such as Yew Chung International School of Chongqing and KLISCB.

The overseas students study at Yew Chung International School of Chongqing. (Photo provided to iChongqing)

The second choice is the 131 general primary and secondary schools approved to recruit international students.

There are Sino-foreign cooperative education projects launched in high schools, such as Chongqing Nankai Middle School and other 12 schools. They have cooperated with foreign high schools to introduce mathematics, physics, chemistry, and other courses.

Moreover, they can choose private schools with international characteristics, such as Chongqing Depu Foreign Language School, focusing on bilingual teaching and cultivating students' global vision.

According to Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, in the 2020-2021 academic year, the registered international students in Chongqing come from 137 countries and regions. Among them, degree students accounted for 72.4%, an increase of 22 percent over 2013.

Offer various special courses

Many schools have also opened various special courses to let international students understand Chinese traditional culture.

Binjiang Primary School in Shapingba District has set up a cooking course, and students can learn to cook twelve Chinese dishes in six years. American student Gionna and Vietnamese student Gan Fengyu, who just graduated this year, give the thumbs up on the cooking classes. They have learned to cook Sichuan and Zhejiang cuisine. "My favorite dish is Coke chicken wings, and I make them at home for my parents," Gionna said.

Children are cooking mooncakes for monkeys to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. (iChongqing file photo)

The KLISCB has set up a "Xingyu Drama Studio" and invited Zhou Xingyu, a young actor from Chongqing Sichuan Opera Theater, to regularly communicate with the students. At the same time, the school organizes students to watch Sichuan Opera performances. "Sichuan Opera is cool, especially the costumes and the movements during the performance. I also want to learn Sichuan Opera," said Escher, a foreign student at KLISCB.

Optimize education services for overseas students

"Chongqing has achieved remarkable results in optimizing the business environment in recent years. The city is attracting more and more multinational companies to settle in, and the number of foreigners living, studying, and working in Chongqing is also increasing," said Li Bin, Director of International Cooperation and Exchange Office of Chongqing Education Commission.

"The city is speeding up developing international education and providing public educational services compatible with the open environment," Li added.

In March this year, the Chongqing Municipal Education Commission issued relevant documents to clarify the standards for schools enrolling children of expatriate families and relax the criteria for the sponsors of schools that enroll overseas students.

The classroom at an international school in Chongqing. (Photo provided to iChongqing)