Parents in the Chinese capital will listen to lectures about sex
beginning this autumn, a move local education authorities hope will
improve sex education among teenagers.
The education committee of Xuanwu District announced its parental
sex education plan Sunday, hoping that parents would pass the
knowledge on to their middle school children, according to Monday's
Beijing Daily.
Teachers are also required to join the training session, which will
include watching video tapes, playing games, discussions and
lectures.
The newspaper quoted a parent's positive comment in a questionnaire
as saying, "The fathers and mothers of middle school students grew
up more often than not in a time when such things were not
discussed. So, few of them know how to instruct their adolescent
children properly. And this class will be good for them. "
Education experts have expressed their approval of the move. They
say that middle school is a crucial time for students to get
correct knowledge about sex, and that parental training is the most
suitable way.
Such education should include warnings to avoid premature sex and
eliminate the spread of AIDS and venereal disease.
They advocated that primary school children should know about sex
and the sex organs. And so, as they grow up, they can come to a
better understanding of sex-related physiology, psychology, ethics,
physics, health care and contraception.
Professor Gao Dewei, president of the Beijing Sex Health and
Education Association, said sex education is life-long, but the two
crucial phases are at the age of two to three and 12 to 13.
(Xinhua News
Agency 08/06/2001)