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Leave it to the students to decide

By Li Xing (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-10-09 07:36

A national winter sports campaign will start on Oct 26.

China's top education and sports authorities, along with the leading national youth organization, have called on all students above the fourth grade to participate in long-distance running every day.

The authorities have set goals of 1,000m a day for fifth-and sixth-graders, 1,500m for middle school students, and 2,000m for senior middle school and college students.

According to a government circular, this "sunshine sports for winter" program is in its second year. But it reminds me of cold winter days in 1973 and 1974, when middle schools in Beijing were promoting a similar long-distance running program.

Back then, I left home every day at 6:30 am. On my way to school, which was only a five-minute walk away, I'd jog around an entire city block, since my school did not have a track. Occasionally, I'd run into some of my schoolmates.

Usually, I'd start at the corner across from the Silk Market, turn right at the Guanghua Lu intersection and run east along Guanghua Lu, passing the current site of the Kerry Center, then turn right again and run by the site of China World Center and the Jinglun and Jianguo hotels, as well as the Guiyou department store.

When my classmates and I entered the classroom, the first thing we did was to note the distance we had covered on our morning run. We didn't mind running. The traffic was light, the air was clean, and the exercise was good for us.

Many people today believe that jogging is good for their health. In fact, 86 percent of some 2,900 people who responded to a questionnaire at sohu.com agreed that students would benefit from long-distance running. About 40 percent thought today's students are weaker than those a few years ago.

However, 1,370 respondents, or 45.8 percent, expressed doubts about the "sunshine sports" program.

Why such controversy?

While it makes a lot of demands on the nation's 100 million students, the program takes no notice of air pollution. Most urban areas in the north experience significant smog in the winter. We do not know how long-distance running on smoggy days will affect students' health.

Also many schools, especially those in small towns or rural areas, do not have proper places for students to run. Three years ago, an out-of-control lorry killed 21 students and a teacher who were out running on a county highway.

These are just two of many obstacles to the effective implementation of the "sunshine sports" program.

It is no wonder that last year, schools in 18 provinces and autonomous regions reported that students ran less than half of the required mileage, which was a lot shorter than the mileage proposed for this second season.

While I applaud the intent of the winter sports program, there is no need for such rigid requirements. It should be up to students themselves to decide whether they wish to run or not.

Long-distance running is only one way to exercise. There are many other sports activities which are just as beneficial and may prove more popular.

E-mail: lixing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 10/09/2008 page8)