Shanghai encourages practical education activities outside of schools

Shanghai is set to encourage more middle and primary school students to participate in practical education activities outside of schools since the new school year, the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission said on Tuesday.

Aiming to improve students' moral, learning, physical, aesthetic, and labor literacy, schools shall organize students to join in more practical education activities in various forms, such as paying visits and having hands-on experience in different public facilities outside the school, it said.

The Provisions on the Promotion of Practical Education Outside of Primary and Middle Schools in Shanghai were enacted by the city's legislature last week, and will come into force on Sept 1, the first day of the new school year.

It was the first time that a provincial-level region in the country has promoted students to participate in practical education activities outside of schools through legislation.

The provisions were intended to improve the collaborative system inside and outside schools to ultimately enhance the comprehensive quality of students, and cultivate socialist builders and successors with all-round development in morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor capabilities, according to the document.

The provisions made it clear that various public facilities shall open doors to students to hold practical education activities. They include youth activity centers, children's palaces, colleges and universities, scientific research institutions, museums, stadiums, art galleries, libraries, archives and martyrs' memorial facilities.

"The provisions broke the walls of schools and allowed the classes on the campus and educational resources in the society to better integrate, so that school education and social education will further be promoted mutually, and let youths broaden their horizons, improve problem-solving ability, and strengthen their sense of social responsibility," said Li Yan, deputy director of the Hongkou district education bureau.

Gu Hongliang, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, said that for the next step, they will guide such public facilities to join hands with schools to develop classes and extend service hours to meet students' needs for accessing practical education activities outside of schools.