The Ministry of Education of China announced Thursday it had decided to open courses on AIDS prevention, anti-drug and environmental protection in elementary and middle schools across the country starting this spring semester.

AIDS prevention education will be offered in junior middle schools and the first two grades of senior middle school, both of which have three grades in China.

Anti-drug education will be provided from the fifth grade of elementary schools through the second grade of senior middle schools.

Environmental protection will be promoted very early, from the first grade of elementary school.

The teaching materials for these issues, compiled by the ministry, will be published and sent to schools across the country, ministry sources said.

(People's Daily March 14, 2003)