CHINA: A new proposal suggesting that universities in China introduce “love education” courses to help students balance academic pressures with romantic relationships has ignited a heated debate online.
As per the South China Morning Post (SCMP) report, the initiative, aimed at boosting marriage and childbirth rates, was presented in a Dec 2 article titled “Universities Should Serve as the Main Platform for Love and Marriage Education,” published in China Population Daily.
The article was penned by Yang Hualei and Li Shuangshuang, researchers from the School of Public Administration at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in Hubei Province.
Founded in 1987, China Population Daily is a national newspaper overseen by the National Health Commission, focused on promoting population policies and educating the public on prenatal and postnatal care.
Uninterested in dating
The proposal’s authors argue that young people, vital to China’s future birth rates, are increasingly hesitant to engage in romantic relationships.
According to a recent survey featured within the proposal, 56.9% of respondents said they were uninterested in dating. The authors contend that one of the main reasons for this is the lack of understanding of balancing relationships with academic responsibilities.
This, they suggest, points to a significant gap in systematic relationship education, leaving students uncertain about navigating emotional connections.
The study also found that 82% of students reported that their universities offered no courses on love and relationships. Despite this, nearly 66% expressed interest in such programs.
Only a small fraction, about 2.5%, had attended love-related courses, leading the authors to recommend that universities take a more active role in offering “scientific and systematic” education on love.
Love education in the curricula
The proposal includes several practical suggestions, such as integrating love education into university elective curricula, using a hybrid teaching model combining online and offline methods, and establishing feedback systems for course evaluations.
It also calls for the government and universities to allocate resources for training qualified instructors and encourages families to foster healthy attitudes toward love and marriage.
This proposal is seen as a response to China’s ongoing struggles with low marriage and birth rates.
In the first nine months of 2024, only 4.75 million marriages were registered, marking a 16.6% decline from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
To address these issues, national and local governments have rolled out a range of pronatalist policies, such as cracking down on high bride prices, offering financial incentives, and providing housing benefits for families with multiple children.
Backlash
Some universities, including Wuhan University, Xiamen University, and Tianjin University, have already introduced courses like “Marriage and Love,” “The Psychology of Love,” and “The Sociology of Love.”
However, the recent proposal has drawn sharp criticism from many netizens, who describe it as an ill-conceived attempt to address a deeply complex issue.
Critics argue that low birth rates are not the result of a lack of relationship education but stem from broader social and economic challenges.
One commenter expressed frustration, saying, “Focus on solving unemployment first! People need financial stability before even considering marriage and children.
How can you expect someone to marry and have kids when they can’t even find a job?”
Others pointed to the contradictory nature of the proposal, with one user saying: “In secondary school, they crack down on puppy love and forbid dating, but as soon as you enter university, they say, ‘Hurry up and get married immediately.’
What’s next? Not being able to graduate unless you’ve had a child?”
Some even linked the current situation to the lasting effects of China’s one-child policy, with one observer remarking, “This is karma from the one-child policy era when people were forced to abort additional children. Now, we’re witnessing the fallout.”
While the proposal has ignited a broad debate, it highlights the continuing concerns in China about declining birth rates and the nation’s demographic future. However, whether love education courses will become a widespread solution remains to be seen.
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