Two schools in Suzhou, Jiangsu province will include a tree-climbing curriculum in their PE classes starting from June, Beijing Morning Post reported on Tuesday. This decision reflects a new goal of helping students to learn outdoor survival skills.

Students in the two schools, Suzhou No.1 Middle School and Pingjiang Experimental Primary School, will learn tree-climbing skills with the help of coaches from Suzhou Mountaineering Association (SZMA), a club specializing in outdoor sports. The two schools will also offer outdoor training programs like Outward Bound with the help of SZMA.

Naturally, this decision triggered some concerns over students’ safety. Pan Zhongdong, Vice-Chairman of SZMA, promised that only professional coaches will instruct the students. Pan added that the students would be trained using ropes and buckles for increased safety. At the end of the semester, the students' performances will be recorded and counted in their final grades.

The outdoor survival skills curriculum originated in the U.S. in the 1980s. Now, at least 1,000 U.S. schools offer the curriculum. Not only will it improve the students’ survival skills, Pan promised, it will also enhance their confidence.