Proper goals for school soccer

Pragmatic and workable reform measures are expected to boost the development of the country's widely maligned world of soccer, says a People's Daily article.

There has formed an extensive public consensus on the importance of developing soccer in schools, as indicated by the educational authorities' plan to popularize soccer courses at 20,000 schools nationwide. As well as a long-term program for football development, what the authorities should do next is introduce some concrete measures, such as ensuring the schools have standard soccer ground fields and qualified soccer teachers. They also need to come up with a rational training curriculum for children of different ages.

Popularizing soccer in schools is a necessary move to boost the development of the sport in China. But this does not mean that talented soccer players will be cultivated soon.