Across China: A warm winter for rural school children

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Xinhua, November 30, 2021
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YINCHUAN, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Winter in Xihaigu of Ningxia, an area declared "uninhabitable" by the UN World Food Programme in northwest China, has temperatures lower than 20 degrees Celsius.

Even at noon, the average temperature in Yanchi County in the city of Wuzhong in late November is below zero. But the classrooms of the Jinggou Primary School are warm as in spring.

Yanchi County is one of the nine counties in Xihaigu. The school, established in 1952, serves as the main education hub for kids nearby as the county center is more than 60 km away. In 2016, there were over 120 students in the school.

The poverty alleviation campaign over the years has significantly improved the living standards and financial standing of locals, allowing many parents to send their children to schools in the county.

"Now we only have 16 students and four teachers. There are no students at all in the second and third grades, and one of the classes only has one student," said 48-year-old Ma Xiaoyan, the youngest teacher at the school.

Despite having fewer students at school, the staff provides the kids with a comfortable environment to learn. They installed a heating system powered by an air source heat pump in 2019. The indoor temperature is kept at about 23 degrees Celsius.

"Compared to the traditional coal-burning boiler that needs an operator on duty, the electric heat pump system can maintain a stable temperature and is more environmentally friendly, energy-saving and clean," said Ma Jianping, the principal. "We warm up the classrooms in advance to protect the kids from the cold."

Steaming-hot meals are also meticulously prepared by chefs at the school. Lunch can include fried meat with celery, spicy tofu, and rice. First-grader Wang Ping gobbles it up as it's so tasty. "The meal in our school is even yummier than the food at home," said the young student.

Despite seeing fewer students, Ma Jianping still loves his work and is passionate about it. "Now three preschool kids have signed up for primary school here next year," Ma Jianping said with a grin on his face. "I believe more children will come back because of the rapid development in the rural areas." Enditem

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