China’s parliament is to consider legislation to punish parents if their children exhibit “very bad behavior” or commit crimes.
In the draft of the family education promotion law, guardians would be reprimanded and ordered to go through family education guidance programs if prosecutors find very bad or criminal behavior in children under their care.
“There are many reasons for adolescents to misbehave, and the lack of or inappropriate family education is the major cause,” said Zang Tiewei (臧鐵偉), spokesman for the Chinese National People’s Congress’ (NPC) Legislative Affairs Commission.
The draft family education promotion law, which is to be reviewed at the NPC Standing Committee session this week, also urges parents to arrange time for their children to rest, play and exercise.
Beijing has exercised a more assertive paternal hand this year, from tacking the addiction of youngsters to online games, deemed a form of “spiritual opium,” to clamping down on “blind” worship of Internet celebrities.
In the past few months, the Chinese Ministry of Education has limited gaming hours for minors, allowing them to play online games for one hour on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only.
It has also cut back on homework and banned after-school tutoring for major subjects during the weekend and holidays, concerned about the heavy academic burden on overwhelmed children.
At the same time, China is urging young men to be more “manly.”
In its “Proposal to Prevent the Feminization of Male Adolescents” issued in December last year, the education ministry urged schools to promote sports such as soccer.
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