Twenty-seven people have been punished by the Ministry of Education for dereliction of duty after textbook illustrations published by the People's Education Press caused public uproar for being ugly and containing inappropriate material, the ministry said on Monday.
dereliction/ˌderəˈlɪkʃn/：玩忽职守；渎职
2022年5月，人民教育出版社（简称人教社）第十一套小学数学教材插图问题受到社会广泛关注。教育部党组高度重视，成立由党组主要负责同志任组长、2位党组成员任副组长的调查处置工作组，通过约谈相关人员，调阅原始资料，听取数学、思政、美术等方面专家意见，征求一线数学和美术教师意见等方式，进行了认真调查核实。
The cartoon illustrations in math textbooks used by primary school students caused an outcry after they were posted by netizens in May and hashtags on the illustrations became top trending topics on social media platforms for days. Headed by senior officials of the ministry, it launched a thorough investigation into the incident.
经查，教材插图主要存在三方面问题。
一是不美观向上，与立德树人根本要求存在差距。整体画风不符合大众审美习惯，部分插图人物形象比较丑陋，精神风貌不佳，没有恰当体现出我国少年儿童阳光向上的形象。
二是不严肃规范，个别插图甚至存在错误。插图数量过多，部分插图制作专业水准不高，个别插图存在科学性、规范性问题。
三是不细致准确，部分插图容易引人误读。部分插图绘制粗糙，一些线条绘制和元素选择不当，图片比例不协调。同时也发现网上传播的一些问题插图并非人教社小学数学教材插图，有关部门已将其列入全面排查整改。
“The overall style of the illustrations do not conform to the aesthetic tastes of the public,” the investigation found. “Some illustrated characters are ugly, show poor spirit and style, and do not reflect a positive image of our nation’s children.” Certain illustrations had mistakes and some may have caused misunderstanding, the release said.
The publisher's selection process of illustration designers was not thorough and well-regulated, its reviewing process was not strict and it did not value reader's suggestions, the ministry said. The ministry's Department of National Textbook did not give enough review, guidance and supervision on textbooks, it added.
Huang Qiang, Party chief and head of People's Education Press, was given serious warning and demerit, while the Editor-in-Chief of the publisher Guo Ge was removed from the post, issued a serious warning and demerit, the ministry said in a release. Two other people were also removed from their posts and 17 others were given disciplinary punishment, the release said.
demerit /diːˈmerɪt/ 过失
Tian Huisheng, director of the ministry's Department of National Textbook, was issued warning and demerit by the ministry. Five other officials at the department were also given disciplinary punishment.
Three people, Wu Yong, Lyu Min and Lyu Jingren and their studios that were responsible for designing the textbook illustrations, are no longer allowed to design national textbooks.
插图重绘工作已完成
In a separate release, the ministry said the publisher has finished re-doing the textbook illustrations and all new textbooks will be available before the new semester begins in September.
The new illustrations have been revised seven times and reviewed three times and approved by the National Textbook Committee, the release said.
The ministry has asked 350 experts to conduct comprehensive review of all 2,487 sets of textbooks used by primary and secondary school students.
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