China’s children start first day schooled in ‘Xi Jinping thought’

The Chinese president's political ideology is incorporated into the national curriculum as the new school year begins

Chinese pupils returned to school with new textbooks peppered with Xi Jinping thought", as the Communist party aims to extend his personality cult to children as young as seven and rear a new generation of patriots.

The education ministry has said it will incorporate Xi's vaguely defined political ideology into the national curriculum, from primary schools to graduate programmes, at the start of the new school year on Wednesday.