Former China Olympic champion who home-schools children to allow more play time criticised for depriving them chance to socialise
- Ex-gymnasts Yang Wei and Yang Yun customise children’s curriculum
- Highlights several benefits of approach, sparks social media debate
Former Olympic champion Yang Wei’s decision to home-school his twin daughters, in a bid to give them more playtime and maintain their health, has ignited a debate online.
Critics have raised concerns about the potential absence of sufficient socialising opportunities for the children.
Yang is a former gymnast and Olympic champion known for leading China’s men’s team to a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and securing an individual all-around championship. His wife, Yang Yun, is also a distinguished gymnast.
On March 12, he shared a video on his Douyin account, which has over 2 million followers, titled “What is the experience of not attending school for the first grade and having all private lessons?”
In the video, Yang Wei disclosed that his twin daughters, who are old enough to start Primary One, are currently being home-schooled, a decision he made after they fell seriously ill three times last year.
He said his wife has taken on the role of head teacher, customising a special curriculum for the children, and he drives them to their lessons with private tutors.
