Law emphasizes key role of parents, proscribes violence as way of teaching

Parents or guardians should not use violence as a way to teach children lessons, a draft law said on Wednesday.

The draft family education law also said they should not discriminate against children based on their gender or physical condition, or coerce, lure, incite or use minors to violate laws, regulations or social morality.

The draft law was presented to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for first reading on Wednesday. A draft generally becomes law after being reviewed by the top legislature three times.

Parents and guardians shoulder the primary responsibility to educate children, while the government, schools and society should offer support for family education, the draft said, adding that the country should intervene when necessary.

Law enforcement should admonish parents or ask them to improve family education when children have received administrative punishment from the police or committed minor crimes, it said.

Courts could strip guardianship from parents if law enforcement authorities find they have violated the rights and interests of minors and have refused to correct their behavior.

The police will be able to fine parents who refuse to make corrections up to 1,000 yuan ($155) or detain them for up to five days, according to the draft.

Schools should notify parents when students have seriously violated regulations or laws and offer parents guidance in educating children. When parents refuse to fulfill their responsibilities, schools should notify the local residential or village committee or the parents' employers, it said.

Legislator He Yiting, a member of the NPC's Social Development Affairs Committee, said that family education, as the beginning of a child's education, is not only closely associated with the lifelong development of children and family wellbeing, but also concerns national development and social stability.

However, many parents only value children's academic performance and physical well-being and ignore their moral development and psychological health, he said when reporting to the NPC Standing Committee.

There are also parents who do not know how to educate their children and some even resort to physical abuse, leading to extreme cases of injury, he said.

Cao Yin contributed to this story.