Charity organizations in Linzhou City, Henan Province, have been asking children to donate their “winnings” in anticipation of the substantial amount of red envelopes they receive during the Chinese New Year. The incident has caused public discontent and debate, with some even citing the term “cutting leeks” to describe the authorities’ approach, deriding the officials for not even sparing children.
The city of Linzhou Charity Federation and the Bureau of Education and Sports jointly issued a document at the end of February, asking the city’s primary and secondary schools and kindergartens to launch a charity campaign of “donating money for the Chinese New Year, giving a piece of love”. All schools are required to lobby their students’ Parents in the hope of fulfilling this political mission.
Mr. Zhu, a local person, pointed out in an interview with this station that the public is dissatisfied with the authorities’ persuasive action this Time, first of all, the charity federation that initiated the fundraising has a bad reputation, and its fundraising activities in recent years have not been well supported by the public, and even the staff’s salaries are difficult to be fulfilled; in addition, after a year of the Epidemic, most parents are also under great pressure, and many local enterprises and even government agencies have difficulties in paying their salaries. He described the authorities as treating children like “leeks” this time.
Mr. Zhu said: leek well, the size of his do not mind well. It also said voluntary, voluntary a hair ah, it is and the Education Bureau jointly issued a (text), through the administrative power to force the well. A class, for example, more than 40 people, the school a class a group, the Family committee and so on, parents are in the way, it is equivalent to the apportionment.
A teacher at the local Gaojiazhuang Primary School confirmed that authorities are asking students to donate their New Year’s Eve money, but he said it is not a forced donation, and the school does not set any donation threshold. He admitted that there are many questions from the outside world.
The elementary school teacher: charity day donation, students to give love. The voluntary well, no can not donate well. There is no rule, the students voluntary money well. A dollar is okay, two dollars is okay, fifty cents is okay.
The local Education and Sports Bureau office admitted to receiving many parental complaints, the leadership is also dealing with.
The Bureau of Education and Sports: We are the Office of the Bureau of Education and Sports, this thing in addition to you reflected this problem, there are other parents, also reflected this problem, and then this problem, also reflected to the leadership there, the leadership is now doing further information on this matter. This afternoon, the results will come out, please pay attention to the progress of this matter. How is it?
The other informant revealed that the fundraising activity is responsible by the Student Financial Assistance Management Center of the Education and Sports Bureau. The resources to finance the students should come from the financial allocation. But this department, which is supposed to provide money to help students, has turned into a body that “cuts leeks” from students.
But officials from the Student Financial Assistance Management Center denied that it was disguised as a way to hit students in the wallet. The two departments have made it clear that forced fundraising is not allowed when they issue a joint document.
Student Financial Assistance Management Center: It’s clearly written on the file that students shall not be forced to donate and no minimum donation amount shall be set to students. I need to ask, because I am not responsible for this piece, I have to ask.
In order to control the number of private organizations, charitable activities have become an area of official monopoly and severely restrict the participation of private forces. Mutual private donations are also officially considered illegal. However, over the years, both Project Hope, the Chinese Red Cross, and the General Charity Federation have been scandalous, and the enthusiasm of private donations is no longer seen.
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