Educators need to reflect on 'dozing' incident

A photograph published in China Youth Daily recently has sparked a fierce debate in the Chinese media. The photograph shows 92-year-old academician Wu Liangyong delivering a speech in the Great Hall of the People on Tuesday, which lasted more than half an hour, with some students in the back rows dozing or sleeping.

The incident is unfortunate considering that, despite suffering from ill health, Wu used a walking stick and the help of a companion to walk up to the rostrum and insisted on standing while delivering his speech. No wonder, many people have said the sleeping students are a shame on today's youths and have soiled the reputation of their colleges.

China Youth Daily later published the full text of Wu's speech on its online edition, with most of the people who have read it admitting that it was an excellent piece of scholarship. Wu is reported to have spent days preparing for the speech which narrated his personal experience during World War II and after the "cultural revolution" (1966-76) and, in more ways than one, reflected the conditions prevailing in the country during those years.