Young patients should be able to enjoy the right to education, says a commentary in Beijing News. An excerpt follows:

 

Zheng Shan, a Shanghai People's Congress deputy, has just submitted a proposal that the government provide compulsory education for hospitalized children.

 

According to the Compulsory Education Law, all children who have reached the age of 6 shall enroll in school and receive nine years of education, regardless of sex, nationality or race.

 

But as Zheng has pointed out, the education of school-age children hospitalized for long-term treatment is not properly addressed. Though their physical or mental condition is not good enough for education in schools, they can receive basic education in the wards. Compulsory education shall be a common right. Our compulsory education would not be complete if the children in the wards were ignored.

 

When we measure the achievements of civilization, we should check the life of those people living at the bottom of society. The most important indicators are the amount of aid they received and how many rights they had when they experienced problems and adversity.

 

That is why many countries are taking active measures to upgrade the welfare of the least fortunate. In fact, in many developed countries, many children's hospitals have special education department funded by the government.

 

The children in hospitals should also enjoy the sunshine of rights.

 

(China Daily February 7, 2007)