China releases draft plan to boost eye health of students by 2030

China aims to lower the rate of myopia among young students to 38 percent by the year of 2030, according to a draft plan released by China's Ministry of Education and National Health Commission for public comment, reports thepaper.cn.

A doctor examines the eyesight of a child. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

The draft calls for efforts to lower the rate of myopia among children and adolescents by 0.5 percent a year by 2023, starting this year. By 2030, the rate of myopia among six-year-old children should be controlled at around 3 percent. For primary school students it should be no higher than 38 percent, and held at less than 60 percent for middle school students and 70 percent for high school students.

To achieve these goals, the plan said that parents will be encouraged to help their children to develop healthy habits to look after their eyes. These habits include getting more outdoor exercise, limiting time spent looking at phone and computer screens, and ensuring that they get the recommended amount of sleep. The plan also said that schools should improve the provision of physical education classes and limit the use of screen-based teaching time to no more than 30 percent of class time.

It is proposed that measures of the eye health of children and adolescents be included in the performance evaluation of governments at all levels to ensure that the plan is well implemented. Local governments and schools would then be held accountable if there is a decline of the eye health of local teenagers for three years in a row.

The draft is open for public comment until August 21.