The beloved children's palaces are commonly recognized as
somewhere youngsters of all ages can absorb knowledge and enjoy
themselves.
However, with rapid market economic development, many such
public welfare facilities in China are struggling for survival,
Xinhua News Agency reported on April 23. Because of a shortage of
funds and operational losses, they have to find new outlets for
their development. Many of them now are occupied by enterprises for
profit-making activities.
In Children's Palace of Changchun, capital city of northeast
China's Jilin Province, Xinhua reporters found in the
big deserted courtyard only a row of billboards advertising various
training classes such as dancing, painting and the like. The
charges for the classes ranged from 360 yuan (US$37) to 1,200 yuan
(US$149) half yearly.
The Children's Palace in Jilin City is also occupied by various
off-school training activities. Usually classes start at 16:00 from
Monday to Friday and operate all day during weekends.
Renting out facilities for profit-earning activities is now a
common practice for children's palaces across the country,
according to insiders.
Most of these palaces were built in the 1950s with an aim to
enrich the recreational and sports activities of young people after
school. They often held scientific knowledge education, cultural
and social activities without fees at that time.
"The interest and openness of the palaces used to attract
numerous youngsters," said Xu Fang, a lady who used to be a member
of a Children's Palace's Chorus in the 1970s. "They were a paradise
for children."
Zhang Ying, director of the Changchun Municipal Children's
Palace, claimed that it was difficult to operate a children's
palace nowadays. "A children's palace is aimed at providing a good
environment for children to study and grow up in but now we find
we're caught in a dilemma."
According to Zhang, a children's palace used to depend on a
financial allocation from central government. However, the
government's investment and the actual expenditure of running it
are out of proportion now.
Yu Xiaojie, director of the Youth's Palace of Changchun, shared
Zhang's views. "Shortage of funds, shabby buildings and outdated
equipment are my palace's current situation," she said. "The
shortage of funds has resulted in a brain drain. The investment
from the central government is far short of the need and therefore
we simply can't organize any large event and activity."
To fill the gap they move towards the market for help. "As the
state fund allocated to us is insufficient, we've to earn money for
our increasing expenditure through running training classes," said
Zhang Ying.
"Pushy Chinese parents want to have their children gifted in one
or another field and there are many outside-school training classes
nowadays," she said. "To tailor to the needs of the market and
solve our own problems, we also offer training courses."
In early April, the State Council issued a circular, reiterating
that children's palaces and clubs, scientific and technological
centers for teenagers and other similar initiatives which had been
established with state investment should remain for the public
good. Profit making activities were not allowed in these
centers.
"To be a completely public welfare institution it's imperative
to have government funding in line with the different needs of
these institutions," said Zhang Ying. "In addition society must
support after-school education for younger people."
"In the past many places gave free access to our organized
activities but now the cheapest fee for a venue is 4,000 yuan," she
said.
Zhang held that the children's palaces should be allowed to run
some specialized training classes to supplement state funding.
Yu Xiaojie observed that the old management system of a
children's palace should be changed and that such places should be
treated as a social undertaking which requires? support and
patronage from enterprises and other circles.
(China.org.cn by Guo Xiaohong and Li Jingrong, May 3, 2006)