Yes she’s commendable, but…

Dan, 12, got up at four or five every morning. Instead of going to school, she went with her mother, a cleaner, and helped her clean the street. The besom is giant while the little girl is thin and weak but determined. It’s reported by Huaxi Metropolis recently.

A citizen took pictures of the girl and posted it on “163 BBS”, named, the most beautiful cleaner in Chengdu (capital of Sichuan Province, China), which suddenly became a hot topic, attracting many BBS users to comment on it. Some said: “You helped your mother clean the street, and we are all proud of your considerate.” Many similar praises such as “Life is tough but it’s not your fault, and it’s injected with color because of you” are in the majority.

However, I really feel shame of that. She’s only 12 years old. At this age, she should enjoy her school time and lead a worriless life. I am absolutely proud of her and moved by her. But is it “colorful” when we see a little girl bearing the heavy burden of life and having no chance to go to school? Sorry! To this aspect, I can’t see where the so-called “color” is.

I remember, in past few years, many primary schools began classes at half past seven. Most of the children had to get up at half past six, which made their parents write a joint letter, requiring half an hour more in order to let their children to have enough sleep. Government and school considered it seriously and made a decision of postponing the class time to eight o’clock. Thinking of Dan, the poor girl, got up three or four hours earlier than other pupils everyday, held a titanic besom to clean the street. It’s an incredible hardship, I believe.

It’s no doubt that our parents used to lead an extremely tough life when there were young. Such as one BBS user said “We used to get up in the midnight, chop wood and mow grass…” We should face it, I know, because it’s China’s history. Burdensome life made Chinese breathe severe air. But do you want this hardship replay again today?

After Reform and Opening-up in 1978, per capita GDP raises to more than 1000 US dollars in these years from 100 US dollars. In 2006, our total government revenue reached RMB 3,876 billion (258.4 billion pound ish). I think it’s necessary to toughen up children and let them go through the mill. But going too far is as bad as not going far enough. 20 years prosperity, we have reason to let every single child go to school and have enough to eat and wear. The more prosperous, the much we have to follow the needy families closely. What we need is better social welfare system.

sex education for young age pupil in China

It was reported by Information on Times that a puberty sex education modal class was held by No. 4 Middle School in Guangzhou, China. Teachers, pupils and their parents talked about sex education openly. (You know, China is quite different from UK in this regard) This modal class harvested a warm welcome.

For the past few years, with the changes of dietetical habit and social environment, teenagers become sexual maturation at a much earlier age. 11 or 12 years old pupils show the signal of sexual maturation as they are just in primary school. School education didn’t pay much attention on this aspect, so most of the students learn the sex education knowledge through adult internet or DVD, and some pornography without proper instructions of sex education.

Statistics of China Population Net shows that 10 million females aborted in 2006-with a quarter under 18. Maternity and Infant Healthy Institute of Guangzhou also distributed some data: from January to July this year, 300 females took abortion operations each month, which included 1/4 or 1/5 minors. (Data from Yangcheng Evening news)

As a matter of fact, teaching sex education in primary school or middle school is not news. But, being influenced by traditional view, teachers and parents of pupils always stand humming and hawing, and never clearly introduce it. Take myself as an example, when I was in high school, our sex education teacher never said a single clear word. After 45 minutes she usually escaped from our classroom as soon as she could. We were still very confused, though we have had this lecture for a whole semester. So the deep penetration sex education as the way No.4 Middle School did was rare.

It’s vastly different from many other countries, such as UK, France etc. Sex education usually begins at an early age, for example, at children’s primary school time. “Primary school-aged children need age-appropriate information about the biological processes of sex and reproduction”, which is said on The Better Health Channel (BHC), establishing in May 1999 by the Victorian (Australia) Government. As we know, in these countries, sex knowledge is not an embarrassing topic, and children can discuss with their parents freely. However, it’s really nerve-wracking to talk this kind of issue in china, because most Chinese are still conservative.

Children feel curious about sex, but nobody gives them a proper guidance. They will easily go to extremes. As far as I am concerned, it’s time for education organization to establish suitable sex education system in order to bridge this knowledge gap. Don’t be shy and without ambiguous. Appropriate teaching material including books and videos are all necessary. Also, sex education is different from chasteness and condom education. It must be a lecture which students can benefit knowledge of sexual psychophysiology as well as sexual morality and law from.

It is said that the Swede refers to sex education as a life-long course. Chinese still have a long way to go. But I firmly believe that it will be better and better before long.