A Study on the Implementation of Governance Policies for Secondary School Out-of-School Training in Xi'an in the Context of Double Reduction - Interpretation Based on Ambiguity-Conflict Modelling

Abstract

The issue of regulating out-of-school training institutions (OSTI) entered the government's agenda as early as 2018. However, over the years, the implementation of the policy has been blocked and the effect of the policy is unsatisfactory. This study focuses on the practice of regulating out-of-school training in Xi'an under the background of the ‘Double Reduction’ policy since 2018, and adopts the content analysis method to analyse the reasons for the obstruction based on the locally modified Ambiguity-Conflict model. The study finds that the policy implementation mode changes significantly with the dynamic evolution of ambiguity and conflict: the embryonic period (2018-2020) shows experimental implementation relying on local incentives due to the high ambiguity of the goal and means and the low explicitness of conflict; the high-pressure period (2021-2022) shows lower ambiguity driven by the central government's political potential, but the implementation shifts to political implementation due to the high intensity of conflict arising from touching on fundamental interests. In the current transition period (2022-present), ambiguity continues to diminish, but conflicts become more subtle and complex, and policies face the challenge of a difficult transition to regular administrative implementation. The conclusions show that political power, local incentives, and the game of interests among multiple subjects are the core dominant factors shaping the path of policy implementation, which highlights the necessity and explanatory power of the localised modification of the model.