Two pupils in Wuhan, who collected garbage in order to pay net-surfing bills, have triggered a hot debate among netizens as the related pictures were published online, the Chutian Metropolis Daily reported on Tuesday.

Two pupils in Wuhan collect garbage to stuff in a big plastic bag on Saturday, March 13, 2010. [Photo: cnhubei.com]

According to the photographer, who works for a website, the two school children filled their backpacks with waste plastic bottles and paper cups early on Saturday morning. The photographer had thought the children were from impoverished families and wanted to buy stationery with the money gained from collecting garbage.

But he was told by the boss of a recycling station, where the two children bargained the price for the garbage they had collected, that they would spend the garbage fee on hours of net-surfing in an internet cafe. The recycle station manager also disclosed there are many other pupils doing the same thing.

Netizens are divided after reading the report. A netizen urged tolerance towards the pupils, saying that collecting garbage to earn money to surf the internet is not against the law and that their fascination with the internet is no worse than an addiction to games consoles.

However, another netizen called for a stronger fight against internet cafes that make profits on young children and teenagers.

The newspaper report says the two pupils in the spotlight are brothers from east China's Jiangxi Province. They live in Changfeng County with their father working as a butcher.

The headmaster of the local school where the brothers study said they forbid students to enter internet cafes and would give guidance to the children, who were new additions to Changfeng school.