Eagle dad's education tactic triggers debate

He Liesheng holds his son up after the boy flies a fixed-wing airplane over a wildlife zoo in Beijing, Aug 31, 2013. [Photo/VCG]

He Liesheng hired retired teachers to instruct his son at home with self-developed textbooks, and set a strict schedule for his son.

He defended his method of education, saying that his son boasts stronger self-discipline and higher efficiency in learning compared with children of the same age.

As for the boy, he said that although he "envied" children of his age who have more free time, he is satisfied with his education approach which allows him to "learn more knowledge in a systematic way and engage in a wider range of activities".

Chu Zhaohui, a researcher with the National Institute of Education Sciences, said that although the boy's excellence makes his parents proud at present, the growth of a child is a long-term process and the parents' choice of personalized education over traditional schooling is potentially harmful to the kid.

Some Chinese social media users echoed his opinion.

A blogger on Sina Weibo said: "Winning at the starting line is not always a good thing. It is more important to give the kids a happy childhood."

Another blogger disagreed: "The 'let it be' attitude is not suitable for everyone. Maybe this type of education is good for the child. What is a happy childhood? Is it only about playing in the mud?"

Under Chinese law, parents should enrol their children in compulsory education once they reach a certain age.