Eastern Zhejiang province has published a draft guideline proposing students go to bed at a decent hour — with parents’ approval — even if they still have unfinished schoolwork to do.

The time mooted is 9pm for primary school students and 10pm for middle school students.

Chinese schoolchildren have a notoriously large amount of homework, topped by a slew of extracurricular activities pushed by their parents, which can often keep them up late into the night.

The 33-point action plan, published Monday on the website of Zhejiang’s education department, also advises parents to “refrain from competing with others”, suggests boosting counselling support for students, and forbids extra tutoring over weekends and school vacations.

The proposal has touched a nerve in China, with some parents concerned that reducing the homework burden will put children at a disadvantage when preparing for the highly-competitive college entrance exam.

The country’s education system revolves around the notorious “gaokao“, which is the only route to Chinese universities. “It’s better not to take exams,” wrote one on the Twitter-like social media platform Weibo. “Cancel all the entrance examinations. Protect the children. Never let the children get a little tired.”

“I oppose this, it will result in the children lacking a sense of responsibility from early age,” wrote another.

“This is nonsense — is there any future for the country?” asked another.

The Communist Party mouthpiece, People’s Daily, weighed in, saying that it was “unquestionable that very few parents want their children to bear excessive homework” but that “excellent academic performance is necessary for China’s Gaokao, as well as the fiercely competitive workplace.”

Other provinces are also considering similar rules to help reduce the burden on students, who often face long school days, high pressure, and a raft of after-school classes and training.