The Ministry of Education has ordered primary and secondary schools to increase calligraphy classes in an aim to combat widespread keyboard use that has cramped children's penmanship. [Xinhua]

新華社消息，隨著電腦鍵盤的普及，中小學(xué)生漢字書寫能力有所削弱，教育部要求各地中小學(xué)加強(qiáng)書法教育。
The Ministry of Education has ordered primary and secondary schools to increase calligraphy classes in an aim to combat widespread keyboard use that has cramped children's penmanship, Xinhua reported.

根據(jù)周五公布在教育部網(wǎng)站上的指導(dǎo)意見，三至六年級的小學(xué)生，每周要安排一課時的書法課，普通高中應(yīng)設(shè)置與書法有關(guān)的選修課程，中小學(xué)校還可在形式多樣的課外活動中開展書法教育。
In a notice issued on the MOE website Friday, students in grades three to six will have one hour of calligraphy class every week, and senior high schools should set up calligraphy as an optional course. Primary and secondary schools should also introduce various after-school activities on calligraphy.

概括來講，書法教育應(yīng)培養(yǎng)學(xué)生正確的寫字姿勢，書寫規(guī)范漢字，養(yǎng)成良好習(xí)慣。
In general, the courses will teach students to write standard Chinese characters in a proper way, using the right gestures.

高年級學(xué)生還應(yīng)學(xué)習(xí)鑒賞歷代重要書法家作品。
Students in higher grades should also learn to appreciate the work of ancient calligraphers.

意見要求，書法教育基礎(chǔ)較好的地區(qū)和省份，應(yīng)爭取在今年秋季即九月份開學(xué)開設(shè)書法課。
According to the notice, provinces and regions with adequate education resources should start calligraphy lessons in September, the beginning of the fall semester.

(China.org.cn August 29, 2011)