Minister of Justice emphasizes strengthening Constitution education

At a seminar on Dec 4, National Constitution Day, Zhang Jun, China’s minister of Justice, emphasized strengthening education on Constitution.

Officials should take the lead in studying and publicizing the Constitution, Zhang said. He explained this point through three aspects, these are, laws learning and usage system, Constitution studying materials and themed activities.

The Ministry of Justice took certain steps including keynote speeches and media legal publicity to advance public interest and legal awareness this year For example, three lectures in the Great Hall of the People were attended by more than 2,200 officials from related governments and agencies.

The system that those who enforce the law must bear the responsibility of education on the law was also emphasized by Zhang who pointed out that related governments and agencies are specifically responsible for advancing public education of the Constitution and promoting the awareness of the interaction of the Constitution with law-enforcement.

Speaking of intense ongoing dissemination of information, Zhang indicated that publicity should be strengthened at the grassroots level. He also required that all departments should promote training in the Constitution in villages, communities, schools, enterprises, military camps and places of worship and integrate it into daily life.

Zhang also mentioned reinforcing construction of the informatization platform. On the China Legal Information Center website, a resource database has been set up to store legal education products. And more than 6,000 Wechat accounts have been established to circulate Constitution publicity materials.

It’s necessary to inculcate the spirit of the Constitution into people’s daily lives. To date, more than 3,500 parks and 12,000 squares have been decorated with materials on the theme of the Constitution, according to Zhang.

He also noted the need to accelerate creation of legal cultural works. Towards that end the Ministry of Justice has compiled 12 juvenile legal education textbooks based on the characteristics of different ages which publicize the Constitution through cases and stories.