Puppy love, once a taboo at Chinese schools, may now be encouraged as an antidote to China’s long-term challenges stemming from declining birthrates, shrinking workforce and aging population that constrain the social and economic development.
At this year’s ongoing two sessions, the marriage and relationship problem becomes one of the important causes of population problems, which a policymaker suggested can be addressed through starting education in this respect in preschools as early as possible.
Ding Jianning, a deputy to the National People’s Congress (NPC) and principal of Yangzhou University in East China’s Jiangsu Province, said the problem reflects the lack of love education among Chinese youths.
Ding suggested to popularize love education among students, help them form correct views before they reach the marriageable ages, have clear expectation and attitudes toward their spouses can greatly reduce the tragedies in marriage and largely improve their happiness.
He suggested to start love education as early as in preschool period, lay a solid knowledge foundation in primary school, form a preliminary and correct view of love and marriage in middle school stage and further conduct popularized education on relationship, marriage and family in college. Besides, parents should also improve their capabilities in educating their children in this aspect through education.
