BEIJING -- All compulsory education institutions in China will provide their students with after-school services starting fall semester 2021, the Ministry of Education announced Tuesday.

After-school services are intended for students whose parents have trouble picking them up when school hours end. The ministry stipulated that such services are to be provided on every school day, and the duration should be no less than two hours, depending on the end of local daily work hours.

Speaking of the summer vacation daycare services at school, the ministry said they consist of mainly guided extracurricular activities instead of subject classes, and that participation for both students and teachers is entirely voluntary.