A nurse is seen caring for a newborn baby at a hospital in Xinghua, China's eastern Jiangsu province, on May 10, 2024. – AFP
China is encouraging colleges and universities to offer 'love education' to promote positive perspectives on marriage, love, fertility, and family, aiming to reverse the country's declining birth rate. Beijing has implemented various initiatives to make having children more appealing to young couples after China experienced a second consecutive year of population decline in 2023. With a population of 1.4 billion, China ranks second globally, but its rapid ageing population is expected to increase government spending and strain the economy.
College students, who are the primary drivers of fertility, have significantly altered their views on marriage and love, according to the Jiangsu Xinhua newspaper group, citing China Population News, an official publication. 'Colleges and universities should take on the responsibility of providing marriage and love education to college students by introducing marriage and love education courses,' the publication stated. These measures aim to foster a 'healthy and positive marriage and childbearing cultural atmosphere.'
In November, the state council urged local governments to allocate resources towards addressing China's population decline and promote respect for childbearing and marriages 'at the right age,' though demographers doubt these efforts will resonate with young Chinese. A survey by China Population News found that 57% of college students did not wish to enter relationships, primarily due to difficulties in balancing study and love. The lack of 'systematic and scientific marriage and love education' has left college students with a vague understanding of emotional relationships.
Universities are advised to focus on educating junior college students about population and national conditions, as well as new concepts of marriage and childbearing. Senior college students and graduate students could benefit from 'case analysis, group discussions on maintaining intimate relationships, and communication between the sexes.' These courses would help them 'enhance their ability to correctly understand marriage and love and manage love relationships.'
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