Reconciling quality and equity: policy innovations in Guangxi’s preschool education reforms in the post-2010 era

Purpose This study aims to examine key early childhood education (ECE) policies in a less-developed region (Guangxi) and explored how these policies have shaped the region’s ECE landscape since 2010, using the “3A2S” framework of accessibility, affordability, accountability, sustainability and social justice. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted an documentary analysis approach. The study collected documentary data regarding Guangxi’s ECE, including: ECE policy documents at provincial and city levels (publicly available and internal sources); official statistics; secondary literature and newspaper articles. Findings The authors found that Guangxi adopted a series of traditional and innovative strategies to reduce families’ childcare costs and enhance ECE quality. The authors also revealed how policy innovations can simultaneously advance access, quality and equity, while emphasizing the importance of flexible implementation frameworks that respond to local socioeconomic conditions in China’s evolving education landscape. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to review regional ECE policies in China in the post-2010 era. The findings provide valuable implications and insights for other regions facing similar challenges, such as limited financial capacity of the government, imbalanced development of public and private kindergartens and geographical constraints. This study contributes to global conversations about educational transformation. It demonstrates how policy innovations can simultaneously advance access, quality and equity, while emphasizing the importance of flexible implementation frameworks that respond to local socioeconomic conditions in China’s evolving education landscape.