Training Center Penalized for Foreign Teacher Violations

Education officials in Guangzhou have punished a training center in Panyu District after finding several problems, including hiring foreign teachers without proper approval and using corporal punishment on students.

The announcement on November 21 said the center does have a legal license to offer non-academic training outside of school. 

However, inspectors found that its management was poorly organized and that it broke rules set by the government for such institutions.

Investigators discovered that the center hired foreign teachers who did not have the required work permits or official teaching qualifications to teach in China. These teachers were still allowed to give lessons. The center was also found to have used physical punishment on students, which is strictly banned in Chinese education.

Based on Article 22 of the rules for punishing off-campus training organizations, the Panyu District Education Bureau issued several penalties. These included a formal warning, an order to refund 19,904.57 yuan in tuition fees, and taking back 15,642.63 yuan in illegal income made from the violations.

Authorities said that off-campus training centers must follow national laws, keep high professional standards, and protect students. They added that the punishment should serve as a clear warning that breaking the rules—such as hiring unqualified foreign teachers, hiding illegal training, or using abusive discipline—will not be allowed.

A spokesperson also said that inspections will become even stricter. The bureau will continue to enforce national policies on managing training organizations and focus on uncovering secret operations, new forms of illegal tutoring, and centers that try to take advantage of loopholes.

"We will work to create a cleaner and healthier off-campus education environment," the bureau said. Officials encouraged all training institutions to take this case seriously, learn the law, follow the national "double reduction" policy to ease student pressure, and run their services honestly.