According to a new curriculum standard (课程标准) for labor education in compulsory (强制的；义务的) education made by the government, students in primary and middle schools have at least one course every week on basic household skills such as cooking.

Cooking should be considered as art just like any other activity which requires skills and knowledge. It is often said that students are supposed to learn scientific facts as well as how to prepare meals. The following will explain why cooking should be taught in schools.

Some students talk about their experience about the cooking classes.

Cooking skills are much more useful than a lot of what is taught in schools, but it does require some fully equipped (配备齐全的) kitchens. I hope these classes will be good for students and not be seen as window dressing.

In July, 2021, China introduced the “double reduction (双减)” policy. It hopes to reduce students’ schoolwork pressure by reducing homework and after-school classes. One year and a half has passed, how do students feel about this new policy?

“Our homework is clearly less than before,” said 13-year-old Shen Yuzhe from Beijing. “We are not encouraged to buy workbooks (练习册) anymore. The exercises are mainly from the textbook. ”

According to Shen, teachers now teach at a much slower pace (节奏). Students have enough time to process (处理) new knowledge now. “Our teachers are also giving us more chances to do experiments and learn from real life,” said Shen. “For example, we went to research earthworms (蚯蚓) in a field during a biology class. (3) This is a much better way to learn things than just learning from the books.”

For 13-year-old Zhang Hangming from Tianjin, the best thing about “double reduction” is the increased time in after-school activities. “We can now spend more time taking part in clubs and activities, such as dancing, volleyball and drama. I have joined a group called ‘leadership development’ (领导力发展) where I can learn all kinds of skills except schoolwork,” said Zhang.

Both Shen and Zhang find there are fewer exams now. But they think it’s not necessarily a good thing. “Exams push me to study harder. Besides my progress, more importantly, each exam shows my weak points as well,” Zhang said.

Shen also pointed out that when pressure is reduced, self-discipline (自律) becomes the key. “Some students now spend more time having fun when homework is finished early. (4) But if you use all the free time to relax, you might fall behind other students,” he said.