The Library Society of China, a national non-governmental
academic organization, will set up "E-labs" in 16 local middle
schools to provide a healthy environment for students to surf the
Internet and play computer games.
The labs will also provide access to up to 22,000 electronic
books for students to read online.
Three computer games designed by the world's largest
entertainment game developer Electronic Arts -- including
basketball game "NBA," soccer game "FIFA" and car-racing game "Need
for Speed" -- will also be available in the labs.
The system will be installed in local schools' campus
information centers, which are open to students before and after
school, on weekends and during summer and winter vacations for
free.
Luo Guiming, secretary of the society's elementary school
committee, said that the labs can protect young teenagers from
harmful, violent or pornographic content on the Internet.
"Since children have the natural-born interest to play, it's
futile to simply ban them from playing computer games," Luo said,
adding that a better solution is to create a healthy Internet
environment and guide their online behavior.
Erick Hachenburg, an executive with EA China, said the labs
could increase students' exposure to modern lifestyles, but in a
safe and healthy way.
As well as the 15 local middle schools, the labs will be set up
in 60 schools in other parts of the country.
Officials said that they will also kick off e-book reading
contests and e-sports meeting online to add a little more color to
students' Internet lives.
(Shanghai Daily January 18, 2006)
