The new code of conduct, approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education, was introduced to more than 1.7 million primary and middle school students when the new semester began Monday.

"We changed the regulations according to the laws on child protection and education," said Li Jing, a moral education official on Beijing municipal education committee. The revision "accords with the development and daily behavioral norms of kids, embodying the development of China's society."

Gone are such old calls for youngsters to "fight criminals courageously" and "sacrifice themselves to save others".

The old student norms had encouraged primary and middle school students to report to the authorities and to fight courageously against criminals and to act in emergencies since 1987.

However, children's heroic behavior usually left them injured or even dead because they failed to fully foresee the dangers of their actions.

A noted example was Lai Ning, who was listed among China's "top10 model young pioneers" in 1989 after he lost his life while trying to put out a wildfire at the age of 14.

For long, China's media reported these tragedies, praising children's "heroism", even calling on students across the country to learn from them.

According to statistics from the China Juvenile Daily, 36 teenagers were awarded the title of "young heroes" from national and provincial authorities because of their bravery since 1949.

However, the deaths of teenagers committing "heroic acts" sparked a mass controversy nationwide about the protection of the minors in recent years.

"Children must be guided correctly to learn from heroes," said Beijing primary school teacher Zhu Liang. "We cannot advocate heroic acts which may cost them their lives."

"The new regulations attach greater importance to cherishing their lives," Zhu added.

Wei Lusheng, a parent, said schools must first teach children how to protect themselves before learning from heroes and the mass media must tell students more about ways to help others.

But educators said the spirit of courage should not be thrown away in the new student code of conduct.

"The deletion of the 'fight criminals courageously' clause does not mean denial of the spirit of 'fearlessness' and 'readiness to help others in a just cause'," said education official Li Jing.

"We should be more mature and rational towards the spirit of sacrifice," Li said.

Junior middle school student Zhao Xiaoguang in Beijing agreed.

"Though the new code no longer advocate fighting criminals courageously, we should still learn from heroes," Zhao said.

"Cherishing life is not a reason to be a coward because we can learn courage to overcome difficulties from heroes," he added.

(Xinhua News Agency, February 18, 2003)