Chinese colleges and universities located in major cities such as Beijing may have to relocate to the suburbs or other cities as part of the government's efforts to ease overcrowding.

Although this was among the key recommendations made by the country's political advisers, the proposed locations for the schools will first have to meet the requirements of employees who will be displaced by such a move, according to China Daily.

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Over the years, Beijing's high-quality education resources have been a magnet for people from across the country, attracting students from faraway places to relocate to the nation's capital.

However, this migration has contributed to chronic congestion in the city, causing a major strain on public services and prompting Chinese authorities to move colleges and universities to less congested areas.

In line with this strategy, the city government has rolled out a five-year plan for education development that seeks to keep higher education institutions "small" both geographically and population-wise.

Moreover, some of the schools' facilities for undergraduates will have to be relocated from central areas to less crowded locations.

These innovative proposals did not come as a surprise to many, as overcrowding and urban planning were major topics during the annual session of the Beijing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

"It's almost imperative that some colleges and universities leave the city, but we expect it will be a long process," noted Yuan Jixi, a member of the committee and deputy director of Renmin University of China's School of Chinese Classics.

As part of the process of moving top Chinese colleges and universities to less congested locations, the government will have to address potential problems confronting university employees, such as quality of life, schools, public amenities and employment opportunities in the new locations.

In the meantime, a premier university in Southern China has prohibited its teachers from criticizing China's Constitution and the Communist Party during class, the South China Morning Post reported.

Some fear that this could be a sign of the Chinese government's efforts to enforce ideological control over the nation's learning institutions.

Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou has issued a set of guidelines that contained 10 things teachers cannot say or do inside the classroom.

In light of these developments, President Xi Jinping has also vowed to turn Chinese colleges and universities into "strongholds of the party's leadership." 

Tagschina, China education, China Schools and Universities, Chinese Colleges and Universities