 Southwest China's Guangxi is one of the five ethnic autonomous regions in the country and the heartland of the largest minority group, the Zhuang. The group has a population of 15 million. Education has become a focus of the local government's work since the establishment of the region 50 years ago. Our reporter Liu Yan talks about the changes in education over the past five decades.
The melodious folk song you are listening to is brought to you by five ten-year-old girls of the Zhuang ethnic group. With the beautiful rhythm we unfold today's story and take you to a boarding school in Guigang city.
The school is located in Qishi village in the central part of Guangxi, with a total village population of 28 thousand. People there used to suffer from harsh natural conditions and poverty, but education lagged even further behind.
Te local government set up the first boarding school in the area in 1985.
Schoolmaster Qin Yinzu says the beginning was most difficult, as there were no decent classrooms or dormitories.
"When the school was first set up, we had to borrow an old storehouse to be the classroom. It was quite shabby and you could see the cracks in the walls. Students had to live in the kitchen. At that time, we had 100 students and 5 teachers in the school. Subjects like Chinese, maths, science and art were all taught by the 5 teachers. It was a hard time."
Over time, the school started receiving government funding to build more buildings and enroll more students.
"In 1986, the government offered 200,000 Yuan to build this building and several other rooms, 1,800 square meters in area. The school grew much bigger. And by 1987, the number of students had tripled to 300."
Thanks to government support, the school has also experienced great improvements in teaching facilities, including the construction of a four-floor building, a playground with sports facilities, laboratories and a room designed for long-distance education.
The number of students has exceeded 500 and the number of teaching staff is currently 28.
Qin Pengfei, a fifth-grader, introduces himself.
"My name is Qin pengfei, I can play basketball and ping pong¡."
Schoolmaster Qin Yinzu says the overall improvement in teaching has helped the students broaden their horizons.
"We now offer English and IT courses. Teachers use computers to guide the students."
With China's revised Compulsory Education Act brought into effect in 2006, free education was extended to rural areas. This has benefited more than 200 million children. Students in boarding schools no longer need to pay tuition, and can enjoy a subsidy of 500 Yuan every year.
More parents hope to send their children to the boarding school in Qishi, but the school size can't meet the growing demand. The schoolmaster talks about his worries.
"Life was difficult in the past. But now with a higher living standard and better policies, children must get educated. They come here without paying anything. Instead, they actually get paid."
The situation at Qishi School is not the only one of its kind. With constant input in elementary education, the percentage of children entering school in the whole region has reached an unprecedented high.
"Student enrolment ratio in the region is 100 percent. That is to say, every child gets to go to school."
The five girls who sang the folk song at the beginning of our story were among the top students in Qishi Boarding School. They all have their own dreams, hoping that hard work can fulfill them.
"I want to be an air attendant, or a policewoman. I will study hard to realize my future aspirations."
"I want to be a doctor because I think it's meaningful to help others."
"I want to travel around the world."
"I want to get a PhD and work for my country."
Apart from becoming doctors and policemen, these Zhuang nationality children have a wish to go to Beijing and see the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the many Olympic venues. They say 2008 is the Olympic year and that 'Beijing Welcomes You' is the most popular song in the world.
The story of Qishi Boarding School is only one example of the development of education in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Numerous village schools are following their success, and contributing to improvements in local education.
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