After three years of preparation, Meilong Experimental Kindergarten in Longhua New Area has officially opened, becoming the city’s first nonprofit kindergarten.

    According to reports, Meilong Experimental Kindergarten is significant to the development of preschool education because it means that early education in Shenzhen is gradually becoming nonprofit.

    Located at a residential compound named Xingheshengshi Garden, the school covers an area of 3,000 square meters. The kindergarten has nine classes and can host around 300 children at the same time.

    There are different areas such as a teaching building and an art building inside the kindergarten. The accommodation area has wooden bunk beds for lunch breaks. Many parents took photos of the classrooms during the kindergarten’s Open Day.

    At the opening ceremony, Zhong Jinggao, the principal and party secretary of Shenzhen Experimental Education Group, said that Meilong Experimental Kindergarten was the sixth kindergarten built by Shenzhen Experimental Education Group.

    As an experimental nonprofit kindergarten, Meilong Experimental Kindergarten is taking on reform. The Shenzhen Experimental Education Group will provide resources and administration for the kindergarten, which means that all funds will be used for education redevelopment.

    Reports say that the inexpensive tuition fee along with high-quality teaching sets a high bar for nonprofit kindergartens.

    One source of funding for the kindergartens was social financing, which was used for decorations, equipment and facilities. In this case, the Galaxy Group invested 120 million yuan (US$18.5 million) in the construction of Meilong Experimental Kindergarten.

    Gao Hong, the deputy director of Longhua New Area’s Public Utilities Board, said that they would promote preschool reform and route social funds into the field of preschool education.

    According to Gao, the main tasks are to further advance the development of preschool education, improve preschool and public education and socially diversify preschool education.(Zhang Qian, Li Jiaxin)