According to Professor Zheng Zhenyao at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, studies on the effect of schoolbags on students' posture, walking and cardiorespiratory function show that heavy bags can lead to musculoskeletal symptoms.

A survey on Chinese students' schoolbags shows that the average bag weight for primary school students is 3.5 kg while that for middle school students is 5.5 kg, more than 10 percent of their body weight.

Overly heavy schoolbags do harm to students' health, and this problem is drawing attention from the public in many countries.

In China, despite education authorities' pledge to lighten schoolbags and some lawmakers' motions, by now, no tangible action has been taken. However, in order to ensure the health of primary and middle school students, it's necessary to do something.

To make the work effective, there must be legal support for the action. For example, an explicit limit for the weight of schoolbags should be established and, if the bags weigh more than what is allowed, education authorities would be held accountable.

To cut the weight is part of the efforts to reduce students' burden. More important is to improve the current education system so that students don't have to carry so many textbooks.

Sanqin Metropolis Daily

Putting Money Before People

The General Administration of Civil Aviation recently announced that the airport construction fee would be maintained until the end of 2010, which means passengers going through Chinese airports, estimated at 160 million annually, will have to pay another 40 billion yuan for their air travel before this surcharge is cancelled.

The airport construction fee was initiated in 1992, and according to relevant documents issued by the Ministry of Finance, it should have been scrapped at the end of 2005. However, this fee was carried into 2006 and now, without any explanation, the abolishment is again put off for another four years.

During the whole process, the passengers never have any opportunities to have their voices heard. In accordance with China's Price Law, in the case of the airport construction fee, hearings need to be held. It's not a matter that can be casually decided by several government departments behind closed doors.

Like bus or subway fares, air tickets actually also cover the cost of necessary auxiliary facilities like stations.

Why should passengers pay for taking planes, which of course take off at airports? As for the lack of investment in airport construction, debentures, bank loans and stock sales are all choices. It's unfair to always transfer the burden to passengers.

Market News

Sex Education Needs Urgent Attention

In early November, the Guangdong Sexology Association launched a sex education program under which health experts toured several middle schools in Guangzhou City to give lectures on sex-related subjects and get feedback from the students.

China is now home to over 300 million adolescents and every year sees 20 million students enter puberty.

Nowadays, Chinese adolescents receive sex education through three major channels: school, family and society. However, most schools provide no proper sex education, nor do they have qualified teachers for this course. Sex education is also absent in most families. Surveys find that 72 percent of parents do not offer advice on sex, even when asked. In this breakdown, 14.5 percent of parents will scold children who ask these questions, 28 percent will deceive their children and only 19 percent will give an honest explanation. On the part of society, the situation is much worse. There are a number of sex education programs for adults, but rarely programs for adolescents.

Against this backdrop, it's very helpful for experts to offer guidance on sex-related issues to young students.

Guangzhou Daily

Putting Pork Back on the Table

According to the National Development and Reform Commission's price report issued in October, pork prices fell for the first time in September after rising five months.

Rising pork prices triggered a rise in food prices, which has greatly affected people's daily life. However, the government cannot lower the prices through mandatory policies, as this will adversely affect pig farmers. How to protect one group's interests without hurting another's? It's not easy and based on the current situation the Chinese Government has done a good job through some substantial steps.

Both the central and local governments have expressed that they will not take a laissez-faire attitude toward pork price hikes. This obviously helps to stabilize the market and also comfort consumers. Besides, the government took a series of measures to encourage pig production and supply, and allocated special fund for this purpose. Meanwhile, agricultural departments and research centers are offering more technical support for pig production. All these efforts have boosted the enthusiasm of farmers. Moreover, pork subsidies are provided for low-income families so that they can afford this popular meat. Ultimately these efforts have led to pig production increases and the pork price dropping.

It's quite possible that pork prices would fall to a reasonable level in the near future as long as the already effective policies and measures continue.

Dahe Daily