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Power plays memory tricks

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-04-10 07:43

The lack of citizenship education in China has created the ridiculous practice of letting students memorize government leaders' names mechanically, says an article in Oriental Morning Post. Following is an excerpt:

Recently, primary school students in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, were required to bear in mind the names of government officials and school leaders. Not only the heads of state and government like president and premier and heads of the city like mayor and Party chief, but also school leaders like headmaster and academic dean should be remembered.

The practice has been widely criticized by the public, for it has sowed the seeds of worship of power rather than the yearning for citizenship in the minds of those students.

We must understand that leaders, be they in central or local government, are elected by the people; the power in their hands is given by the people; and, they should work for the people. Thus, all citizens have the right and duty to ask what these leaders have done for them instead of vice versa.

As for students, the key is not to learn the names of these leaders by rote, but to educate themselves about the values of citizenship. They must know from childhood that each one of them is an independent citizen of the country and each has the right to monitor the government and the duty to serve the country. What these students should remember are the names of citizens who have contributed to the country and society rather than that of officials wielding power.

(China Daily 04/10/2009 page8)