From China Daily 26/5

How to relieve students of the burden of education Zhang Min cannot relax even on weekends, for she has to rush her nine-year-old daughter to special classes."Almost all the kids in my daughter's class are learning Olympic math, English, or musical instruments or other skills after school," Zhang said in Beijing yesterday. Parents like Zhang believe the more special knowledge or skills their children acquire the greater will be their chances of getting admitted to a top secondary school. Though this is more of a social problem, such parents will get some relief once schools start following the Ministry of Education's new directive.According to a senior official, the ministry's latest document urges primary and secondary schools across the country to ease the academic burden on students.Education departments at all levels have been asked to strengthen supervision, too. And hopefully, parents will no longer lament like Zhang: "We've not enjoyed a weekend in years we're under tremendous pressure ... our energy is sapped." Steps suggested by the ministry to make life easier for students include ensuring they get enough time to sleep and rest, avoiding holding extra classes after school or during holidays, having a one-hour period for physical training every day and reducing the number of exams. The blind emphasis on academic achievement has been plaguing the education system for years, the ministry said.The long hours of classes held in schools in many areas leave little time for students to exercise or pursue extra-curricular activities that they like.Students are judged only by their academic record to qualify for the make-or-break college entrance exam.Poor management in schools, lack of qualified teachers, unequal allocation of resources and an inadequate evaluation system add to the stress of the students, the ministry said. "These go against our principle of providing basic education," said Yu Weiyue, director of the ministry's basic education department school management. The principle of striving to develop students' all-round abilities in areas such as morals, intelligence, physical fitness, work and aesthetics "has not changed since the founding of New China, but people seem to ignore that nowadays", Yu said.The problem continues despite the government's efforts to ease the burden on students, said Guo Zhenyou, deputy director of Chinese Society of Education.The load on students is not just a problem of education, but a social ill, he said. The job market and social expectations from students, combined with the education system, pose a big challenge for society. Employers focus on the academic record of candidates, which in turn reinforces the belief that getting a seat in a good university is a ticket to a promising job.For Chinese parents, education is still the top priority because they believe it is the only way in which their offspring can prove their abilities."Students' burdens will ease only when society changes its attitude toward education as a whole," Guo said."But we have gained some useful experience (which can) improve the quality of education so more reforms can be expected."     Mental health matters   On the 10th national day for college students' psychological health, that is today, we must face the fact that the mental well-being of our young generation on the campus has increasingly become a matter of concern. Surveys in recent years have found that the proportion of students with serious psychological problems is on the increase. At least 100,000 students suffer from depression in Beijing alone, according to a survey. Mental problems make up a large percentage of the causes for students quitting school or suspending studies. It is not unusual to hear reports of student suicides. It goes without saying that the pressure students nowadays face is much greater than that their parents did when they were in the university. Some 20 years ago, university graduates were assigned jobs by the government, but now they have to find jobs on their own. The hardship involved in finding a job or the right job has often driven some people to the point of losing confidence in life. Many more graduates seeking employment and proportionately lesser job opportunities are reminders of the harsh prospects awaiting those who start campus life now. As a result, fierce competition starts right on campus. The fact that most of them, particularly from urban areas, are the only offspring of their parents has added to the possibility of their developing psychological problems. In the case of many of them, too much attention from doting parents and grandparents has made them self-centered. They don't know how to share with others, and neither do they know how to communicate with others. A survey has found that quite a percentage of students are Internet-addicted, which in turn has added to their loneliness. Another problem is that many parents expect too much of their children, and this expectation puts students under heavy pressure. It is of particular importance for parents and teachers to encourage students to face whatever difficulties or frustrations they meet with the right attitude. They must be told and made to accept the fact that overcoming difficulties or getting through frustrations is what much of life is about. No one can expect to really grow up psychologically without the pain of getting through frustrations of various kinds. It is necessary for universities to have psychiatrists or psychologists ready to provide adequate care for students suffering from depression or other serious mental problems. Many institutions of higher learning have established psychological health centers and organized regular programs to address the psychological problems of students. What is even more important is to remind young parents of the importance to bring up their children in the right manner. They should expose their children to difficulties and frustrations and let them deal with them on their own. It is also imperative to let children learn to share with others and know how to love others. Single children have heavier tasks as China is rapidly aging with 20 percent of the population expected to be above 60 by 2020. We need a young generation in sound health both physically and psychologically to sustain the country's healthy development.