Examining the after-school study burden of Chinese secondary school students following burden reduction policies: a sociological analysis

The study suggests that all stakeholders (policymakers, school administrators, teachers, parents, and students) collaborate in pursuing humanistic objectives in education, rather than being narrowly governed by the pragmatic social imaginary and related discourses. These stakeholders must engage in meaningful conversations and work together to create a humanistic educational environment, aiming to reduce after-school workload from school and other sources, and promote students' pressure relief, learning and well-being based on their individual interests, learning progress, and needs.