Redefining Education in China: Cultural and Social Impacts of the Double Reduction Policy

Abstract

The Double Reduction Policy, implemented in China in July 2021, aims to reduce students’ academic burdens, alleviate financial pressures on families, and address systemic educational inequities. By restricting extracurricular tutoring and regulating homework, the policy emphasizes holistic development, creativity, and emotional well-being over exam-oriented practices. This study applies Cultural Historical Activity Theory, Cultural Critical Discourse Theory, and Bernstein’s (2000) theoretical concepts to analyze the policy’s cultural and social impacts on students, teachers, and parents. The findings reveal that the policy reconfigures roles within the educational ecosystem: students are encouraged to pursue self-directed and creative learning, teachers take on expanded responsibilities as agents of systemic reform, and parents shift from passive supporters to active collaborators. Bernstein’s concepts of classification, framing, and pedagogic discourse highlight how the policy redefines boundaries, regulates educational practices, and reshapes identities. Despite its transformative goals, resistance persists, particularly regarding reduced academic competition and adapting to redefined roles. This study underscores the policy’s dual role as systemic reform and cultural intervention, offering insights into balancing tradition and modernity while providing a framework for global equity-driven reforms.