Middle school students in the Chinese capital began sex education
courses for the first time Wednesday.
Nine middle schools in Beijing's western Haidian District, home to
a host of prestigious universities, took the lead in offering sex
education courses when the new semester started this month.
Hu
Xinyi, deputy director of the Haidian District Education
Commission, said that all newly enrolled middle school students in
his district will receive sex education courses beginning this
semester.
He
also noted that a group of middle school teachers are receiving
training for teaching sex education courses, and the courses will
be expanded to another 200 Haidian middle schools during the
year.
"Many children want to acquire knowledge about the adolescent
period, but they have no proper channels," said Hu, adding that
it's very urgent to open sex education courses in middle
schools.
The newly published set of sex education textbooks has four
editions, each designed differently for junior and senior middle
school students, university students and teachers.
Experts said that the textbooks are different from former ones.
They are a joint effort of experts, parents and students, and the
vivid, colorful illustrations were done by a female middle school
student.
A
teacher, who participated in the editing, said the new textbooks
are a breakthrough in teaching youngsters how to deal with sexual
harassment, take emergency contraception measures and keep away
from drugs. The books also cover AIDS, venereal diseases, "cyber
love" and premarital sex, he said.
He
also recommended that teachers and students both open discussion on
sex education to help overcome embarrassment.
Experts also noted that sex education should be a lifelong
education. This is the age to help young people learn about safe
and healthy sex and procreation and to help them make the right
choices in their lifestyle, they said.
According to China's Population and Family Planning Law, which was
put into effect on Sept. 1, schools are required to offer sex
education.
Apart from Beijing, a dozen other Chinese cities, including
Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Chongqing, Harbin and Xi'an, have
included sex education plans in middle schools. The first set of
sex education textbooks was published in northeast China's
Heilongjiang Province in 2001.
(Xinhua News
Agency September 12, 2002)