Parents' Satisfaction with Kindergarten Services in Beijing at a Time of Systemic Expansion

Abstract

IN 2010, CHINA'S GOVERNMENT announced that by 2020 all kindergarten-aged children will be able to gain access to at least a one-year, high-quality kindergarten experience. This announcement reflected the state's acceptance that a formal kindergarten experience can assist children to become the learners China will need as it transitions to a knowledge economy, the government's wish to reduce social inequality and the increasing proportion of families that do not have grandparents who can help care for young children. The aim of this research was to investigate parents' satisfaction with their children's kindergarten and the factors that influence their satisfaction. This mixed-method research, using survey and interview data, suggests these parents were informed consumers of early childhood education services.