Source: OT-Team(G), 界面新闻, 财新网
Public discussion surrounding the high-profile private school ETU Enlighten School has continued to intensify on Chinese social media, with growing concern over whether the school will be able to resume classes as scheduled on January 5.
Emergency Statement and Temporary Shutdown
According to multiple reports, on December 21, 2025, after the deadline for a negotiated rectification plan had passed, Hua Zhang, a co-founder of the school, sent an "emergency situation briefing" to parents and the local education authority. In the statement, Hua said the Etu side had proposed bringing in a new, compliant investor with RMB 150 million in prepared funding, forming the basis of a restructuring plan that would allow for full repayment of debts.
However, the proposal was reportedly rejected by the Enlighten side of the partnership, allegedly due to concerns about preserving its low-cost lease arrangements and other interests. That same evening at 7:30 p.m., ETU Enlighten School announced a temporary suspension of classes for the week, effectively entering a state of partial shutdown.
School Response: Classes and Enrollment "Normal"
On December 26, a reporter posing as a parent contacted ETU Enlighten School in Beijing's Chaoyang District. A staff member acknowledged that the school had recently encountered "some difficulties" but said school leadership was actively addressing the situation.
She added that students were currently on winter break for the Christmas holiday and were expected to return to normal classes on January 5. "Enrollment is also proceeding as usual," she said.
When asked about claims circulating online that the school's operating license would expire at the end of the year and would not be renewed, the staff member responded that "there may be some issues on the Etu side," but that the Enlighten side was in communication with the education authority. She noted that Etu and Enlighten had previously merged and later experienced internal problems, but maintained that, at present, a January 5 reopening "should not be a problem."
Parents Voice Doubts; License Renewal in Question
Despite the school's assurances, many parents have expressed skepticism on social media regarding the feasibility of a January reopening.
Separately, parents from the elementary division reported receiving phone calls from the Chaoyang District Education Commission informing them that ETU Enlighten School's private school operating license was set to expire on December 31, 2025, and would not be renewed. The Private School Operating Permit, issued by the education authority, is essential for a school's legal operation. Without renewal, the school would be prohibited from conducting any teaching activities after December 31.
Background: Merger and Financial Troubles
On April 30, 2024, the official WeChat accounts of Etu Education and Beijing Enlighten School simultaneously announced that Beijing Chaoyang Etu School and Beijing Chaoyang Enlighten School would merge into a single K–12 institution for the 2024 academic year.
In recent weeks, online reports have described the situation at ETU Enlighten School as a financial "collapse." In response, on November 11, co-founder Li Yinuo published a detailed explanation outlining the school's financial difficulties.
Li wrote that since October 2025, the school's accounts had been nearly depleted, leaving it unable to pay teachers, staff, or suppliers on time. Hua Zhang reportedly used his personal credit to cover half of October's salaries, while funds for November salaries were still being raised.
Li attributed the financial crisis to actions by the school's partner, Enlighten, which allegedly used ETU Enlighten School's cash flow as collateral to secure more than RMB 50 million in loans from institutions including Industrial Bank, Haier Financial Leasing, and Bank of Beijing. According to Li, most of the borrowed funds were not used for school operations but were transferred to affiliated companies or used to settle obligations with a previous partner, rapidly draining the school's cash reserves. As a result, the school was left with significant bank debt, for which Hua Zhang, as the legal representative, bears unlimited joint liability.
Scale and Tuition of the School
Li's statement noted that ETU Enlighten School currently enrolls nearly 700 students across its Beijing and Guangzhou campuses.
According to the Etu Education official website, Etu Education originated as an education innovation project in Silicon Valley and later established operations in Beijing. Etu School was formally founded in September 2016 and is located in Beijing's Chaoyang Central Villa District, with a campus area of over 20,000 square meters. It is a twelve-year K–12 school offering elementary, middle, and high school programs.
The elementary program follows a dual-track curriculum based on China's national standards while integrating international coursework, with Chinese-language subjects accounting for approximately 70 percent of instruction and English-language courses 30 percent. Tuition varies by division and curriculum, ranging from RMB 188,000 per year for elementary school to RMB 155,000–218,000 per year for high school.
As regulatory uncertainty and financial disputes continue, parents and observers remain focused on whether ETU Enlighten School can lawfully and practically resume classes in early January.
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