Curious Chinese teenagers are turning to school websites when it comes to learning about sex -- much to the relief of traditionally-minded parents.

Number 15 Middle School in Changsha has opened Hunan Province's first website to provide students with advice on sex and reproduction health.

"Sex topics, often too difficult for the Chinese teachers and parents to broach in the past, can be discussed with experts available for students on-line queries," said Zhang Tao, vice-director of the school's Teaching Affairs Department.

The website, including both text and pictures, covers sexual psychology, physiology, morality and law.

"Unlike some other websites which may spread obscene information, it is safe to visit the school website," she added.

The websites are welcomed both by students and their parents.

Zhou, a student's mother, said, "I support the school's sex education and believe the website is 'healthy' as it is run by the school."

Students said they felt comfortable with such websites.

"It's convenient if we want to search for information as we cane-mail experts and talk to them on-line. We don't feel embarrassed since it's all about scientific knowledge", said a student surnamed Liu.

Many Chinese students are too embarrassed to ask teachers about sex in public since it is taboo in traditional Chinese culture. However, they can be exposed to pornography without proper guidance on the Internet.

A survey conducted by Professor Huo Jinzhi from the Soochow University medical school showed 4.6 percent of middle school students had had sex compared with 4.2 percent in high schools.

"It's unimaginable that even some junior middle school students already have sexual experience," Huo said.

She urged schools and parents to pay more attention to sex education.

Early in September, an on-line exhibition on abortion was held for primary and middle schools in Suzhou in east China's Jiangsu Province.

(Xinhua News Agency November 18, 2006)