A Brief History of Preschool Child Abuse in China

Several high-profile cases of alleged child abuse at preschools have triggered a nationwide debate on the lack of oversight and regulations governing China’s booming early education industry.

Two major scandals in Shanghai and Beijing last month have opened the floodgates for similar accusations and put the spotlight on older cases where investigations remain inconclusive.

In the latest incident, parents who claimed they had found needle marks on their children, stormed into a preschool in Cangzhou, Hebei province, run by RYB Education Inc. Police said they were investigating the allegations on Monday, and have yet to announce any findings.

China’s central government issued a circular on Nov. 24 urging local authorities to begin looking into irregularities at kindergartens nationwide. Caixin combed through media reports, police statements and education bureau announcements to learn details about how authorities have dealt with previous incidents of abuse at early education facilities.