
Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the significant refund issues faced by Zhonggong Education, where a student reported that a refund of 17,000 yuan would take 17 years to process, indicating severe financial strain within the company [2][4][6]. Group 1: Refund Issues - A student named Liu reported that after failing an exam, Zhonggong Education stated she could only receive 1,000 yuan per year as a refund, leading to a total refund period of 17 years [2]. - The company has implemented a new refund policy where students who paid over 20,000 yuan will receive 1,000 yuan annually, while those under 20,000 yuan will receive 500 yuan per year until fully refunded [4]. - Zhonggong Education's chairman, Li Yongxin, acknowledged the pressure from refund requests, stating the company is committed to refunding every penny [6]. Group 2: Financial Performance - In 2024, Zhonggong Education reported revenues of 2.6 billion yuan and a net profit of 180 million yuan, with a net operating cash flow of 560 million yuan [9]. - The company's "pending refund liabilities" amounted to 580 million yuan, indicating a significant gap between revenue and refund obligations [9]. Group 3: Customer Complaints - Zhonggong Education has faced over 130,000 complaints on the Black Cat Complaints platform, primarily related to delayed refunds [6].