As some college students get married on campus, others are not permitted to show intimacy in public. Why is there such a difference? Is it reasonable?
Whether to allow university students to marry on campus has long been a controversial issue in China.
But recently in a Wuhan university, a final year student got married and more than 50 of his school mates attended his marriage feast, the first-ever case of student marriage in the city.
This brings about hot debates on the school authorities' stiff response.
An article on the people.com.cn website criticized that university authorities are slow in responding to the newly emerged problems. Two years ago, the Ministry of Education lifted bans on the age and marriage situation of those who attend the college entrance examination. That means some students who got married before entering college can now go to college where as before married people were not allowed.
The author of the article holds that the advantages of students staying single outweigh the disadvantages. So the school authorities should be concerned with the issue. It suggests they should guide and educate students in a bid to reduce the students marriages while not to infringe on students legitimate rights.
Meanwhile, Shenzhen University has promulgated a school regulation under which students are forbidden to hold hands, kiss, or cuddle in public areas. Those against the rule will be deducted marks and students who are deducted 30 scores will be forced to leave campus.
As some people hold that providing a legal basis for college students' marriage is in conflict with the above mentioned ban in Shenzhen, an article on the rednet.com website states the following.
The author says there are just two sides of a coin. Kissing in public contradicts social morality and is disrespectful to others' feelings, so students have to adjust their behavior in public. And on the other hand, allowing college students' marriage is rational and obeys the law.
In summary, the author sees it as a good thing that people have the right to marry on campus and go to college if they are married. It is also positive that respect is paid to China's laws on morality.
(People's Daily June 24, 2003)
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