'Father lectures' promoted in kindergartens   

广东中山尝试“爸爸课堂” 解决男幼教紧缺困局

在男幼教紧缺的局面下，如何弥补幼儿教育“阳刚气不足”？4日，记者从中山市南朗镇教育事务指导中心获悉，该镇南朗中心幼儿园早在两年前想到了一个高招：向孩子“借爸爸”来上课，为孩子们增加阳光气。

Zhongshan (ECNS) -- Kindergartens in Guangdong's Zhongshan city have invited the fathers of their students to give lectures as a way to tackle a shortage of male kindergarten teachers.

Wang Wei, a teacher at Zhongshan's Nanlang Central Kindergarten who planned the "father lecture" program, said Tuesday that male teachers are a positive element for preschool education, but the city has far too few.

The men often give practical lectures, such as how to save water, using electricity safely, escaping a fire and washing hands frequently to prevent diseases.

The number of male teachers in nursery schools in Zhongshan has increased to 165 this year, up from just 20 in 2008, but female teachers still outnumber males by a ratio of 1 to 43, local education officials said.

Li Lan, from the pre-school education office of the Nanlang county government, said the lectures help provide more well-rounded role models.