China brings labor education to primary schools

BEIJING - China will revitalize labor education in primary and middle schools over the next three to five years, according to a document of the Ministry of Education (MOE).

The school classes will focus on skills such as sewing, craftsmanship, cooking, housework and other essential tasks. Students will also attend internships at farms, factories and service companies in order to nurture more hands-on skills and accentuate the value of labor.

Performance in this curriculum will be graded and all schools must dedicate school hours to labor education, the MOE said. It also advised schools to invite craftsmen and technicians to give classes to students.

The decision was made out of concerns that the country's youngsters do too little housework and belittle manual jobs. Due to hefty academic pressures, schools tend to focus on the academic curriculum and parents separate their kids from any household chores to minimize distractions.

The move is to help cull the admiration for "becoming rich overnight", while manual jobs and productions are undervalued, the circular said.