Parents and teachers should respect students' right to choose the subjects they want to study in college. They can serve as advisors and guides to students but should not act like dictators to decide their future, says an article on Xinhuanet.com. Excerpts:

A student who joined a vocational school in Beijing to become a mechanic has grabbed media's attention. The reason: he left Peking University three years ago because he did not like biological sciences, the subject he was majoring in. Quitting a college or university is rare in China, especially if the university happens to be as prestigious as Peking University.

The student has shown strong interest in machines from childhood. Yet after he cleared the national college entrance exams with high scores from his town in Qinghai province, his parents and middle-school teachers forced him to apply for a seat in the bio-sciences department of Peking University, instead of seeking admission in Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, his dream school, to study mechanics.

He quit Peking University after failing several exams in the first year. But he is happy with his decision and feels that he is cut out for the profession he has chosen.

Chinese parents and teachers should learn a lesson from the case and respect students' choice. The happiness young people feel from studying the subjects of their choice is more important than a so-called good job.

Youths should get the opportunity to decide their future, although it should be made clear to them that they will be responsible for the decisions they make.