1. In mid-April 2026, Beijing parents learned via social media that the elite “Shing-Tung Yau Junior Classes” (Yau Classes), aimed at grooming young mathematicians under renowned mathematician Shing-Tung Yau, would halt admissions in the capital; the program operates in over 50 top middle schools nationwide, recruiting about 3,000 students aged 12+ with math/physics aptitude annually [para. 1][para. 2].2. Top performers gain direct entry to Tsinghua University’s special math program led by Yau, launched in 2021 to cultivate domestic mathematicians and boost China’s tech independence; seen as a pipeline from elementary to elite universities [para. 3][para. 4].3. Beijing’s six authorized schools include Tsinghua University High School, Renmin University High School, Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University, Beijing 101 Middle School, Beijing No. 4 High School, and Beijing No. 80 High School [para. 5].4. Experimental High School confirmed ending its Yau Class this year per policy, with staff stating “they shouldn’t exist anymore”; it was among 18 inaugural schools in 2023; Beijing No. 4 High School suggests possible rebranding as layered teaching, not formal classes [para. 6][para. 11][para. 12][para. 13].5. Other Beijing schools denied hosting or were unclear; Beijing 101 had two seventh-grade classes previously; Beijing No. 80 runs equivalents [para. 14][para. 15].6. Similar disruptions elsewhere: Shenzhen Middle School and Northeast Yucai School ended programs in 2025; in Shanghai, Fudan and SJTU affiliates froze recruitment, others adjusted (e.g., No. 2 High School of ECNU capped at 25); Guangdong’s South China Normal affiliate continues for 2026 [para. 7][para. 16][para. 17][para. 18][para. 19][para. 20][para. 21][para. 22].7. Driven by Ministry of Education’s three-year “sunshine enrollment” to ensure equity, banning irregular recruitment, key/experimental classes, and tracking during compulsory education; Yau Classes face nationwide quota/method disruptions, likely phased out of nine-year period [para. 8][para. 9].8. Yau Classes’ expansion violated 2021 “double reduction” policy against homework/tutoring burdens by fueling after-school Math Olympiad prep, early selection from elementary via camps/exams, reviving tutoring markets [para. 23][para. 24][para. 25][para. 27][para. 28][para. 29].9. Schools used Yau branding for cross-regional poaching, e.g., Wuhan’s CCNU No.1 High School targeted Hubei sixth-graders, prompting backlash like Xiangyang’s exam bans [para. 30][para. 31][para. 32].10. Regulators cracked down: Tsinghua distanced in Aug 2025; Beijing banned specialty classes Apr 17, 2026; Ministry enforced proximity-based, exam-free enrollment, no interviews/assessments/cross-region [para. 35][para. 36][para. 37][para. 38][para. 39][para. 42].11. Expert Xiong Bingqi calls for dismantling all early talent programs as disguised skimming; advocates personalized education via autonomy, smaller classes post-equity [para. 43][para. 44][para. 45].(Word count: 498)AI generated, for reference only