Lawmaker calls for legal education in all schools

Schools at all levels and of all types should offer legal courses and integrate legal education into daily campus management, according to an official from the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

Huang Haihua, spokesman for the NPC Standing Committee's Legal Affairs Commission, said on Friday while introducing a draft law aimed at enhancing legal education across the country, and scheduled to be reviewed by Chinese lawmakers next week.

"Legal education and awareness are the prerequisites and foundation for everyone to abide by laws, and it must start from a young age," Huang said, revealing that the draft law is to formulate a specialized chapter of legal education for young people.

This chapter is to establish the overall principles for the collaboration of the governments, schools, and families in providing legal education to youngsters, taking into account their physical and mental characteristics and developmental needs, he added.

According to the chapter, educational departments are required to integrate legal education into all stages of school education and enhance the legal education materials and teacher training.

Judicial authorities, public security organs, and social organizations also need to provide legal resources to support schools in legal education, the draft law said.

Additionally, it urges parents and other guardians to educate minors to enhance their self-protection awareness and develop law-abiding habits.

The draft law will be submitted for further review to a session of the NPC Standing Committee, which is scheduled to be held in Beijing from Monday to Friday.

During the upcoming session, Chinese lawmakers will also review a few other draft legislative pieces, including a draft atomic energy law, a draft law on public health emergency response, a draft on national parks, and a draft law on the safety management of hazardous chemicals.

Moreover, a package of amendments to existing laws, such as the Arbitration Law, the Cybersecurity Law and the Prison Law, along with several reports, are also to be discussed at the session.