Xi Jinping orders new Ideology Classes to battle ‘False Ideas’

China’s President Xi Jinping wants to stamp out “false ideas”  in his nation’s schools and foster patriotism in students.

But he’s not talking about fake news like the type spread by WhatsApp in India and YouTube about anti-vaccination beliefs or celebrity scandals.

In his speech to Chinese  teachers of ideological and political theory in Beijing, the leader of China’s ruling party meant they needed to do more to block out “impure” Western ideas such as democracy.

Teachers’ cracking down on “wrong ideas” will ensure that Chinese youth master political theory and become confidence enough in the ideology to preach it,” the president said.

Last year compulsory ideology classes in universities started teaching “Xi Jinping Thought for Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” which is a collection of the president’s public statements.

In his recent speech to teachers from across the country, the president doubled down on his view that political and ideology classes have to be strengthened across all levels of education system, starting from primary school.

Even when he was vice president, Xi Jinping was advocating for strong efforts to keep China’s educational institutions along the lines of the country’s mainstream ideology which would create a good atmosphere and harmony.  Together with Hu Jintao — the president at the time — Mr Xi warned the country about the Western values, deemed aggressive and antagonistic and has been trying to eliminate those among the Chinese people.