| 2025-04-28Source：Xinhua |
HAIKOU, April 24 (Xinhua) -- As the clock struck 8 a.m., 9-year-old Deng Zihao donned his school uniform and set out with his backpack to begin just another usual day. Son of a local food vendor, Deng is one of more than 50 students at Yongxing School, the only school on Yongxing Island in the South China Sea. Their parents are island residents, primarily fishers, traders and construction workers, among other occupations. This is the southernmost school in the country. The day's lesson began with the Chinese language, and the character "bei," meaning shell, was written on the blackboard. SOWING SEEDS OF KNOWLEDGE "As sons and daughters of the island, they are familiar with shells," said 23-year-old teacher Li Fangmin. "But the class teaches them more about the culture and history behind the character." She explained how shells were once used as currency in ancient China and symbolized wealth and treasure. "Now, tell the story of 'bei' and make your own sentences," Li instructed the class. "In ancient times, people regarded 'bei' as an ornament," Deng replied. Another student added, "The word 'bei' is often associated with something precious." To bring the lesson to life, Li showed a short video she had made, tracing the journey of Chinese money from ancient shells to modern digital payment. Teaching on the island is exactly the same as on the mainland. After Chinese class, Deng continues with math, science, art, music and other subjects. But here, the faint sea breeze wafts in through the open windows, adding a unique touch to the school's atmosphere. Thousands of years ago, Chinese fishers and sailors discovered and settled on the Xisha Islands. "Many people couldn't read back then," Li said. "That lack of education was passed down from generation to generation." More than a decade ago, if a child wanted to receive formal education, he or she had to endure an 11-hour boat ride to the Hainan Island, over 180 nautical miles away. That changed in 2015 with the establishment of the first school in Yongxing. At present, the school offers kindergarten and grades one through three. Deng is a second-grader and his class has only five students. Over the past 10 years, the school has grown from just eight teachers to 18 today. In 2017, Wu Quansui graduated from a university in Hainan Province. The 30-year-old is now the school's longest-serving teacher. She described teachers' life on the island -- spanning over 3 square kilometers in size -- as simple and routine, centered around classrooms, canteens and dormitories. After class, some teachers take walks along the beach, others play basketball in the gym, or prepare lessons for the next day. "Compared to the temperate mainland, the tropical island's high temperatures, salinity and humidity make life somewhat tough," Wu said. "But the biggest challenge is being away from family." In addition to teachers from Hainan, many faculty members come from provinces such as Jiangxi, Shandong and Guizhou. Most of them can only return home during the winter and summer holidays. Despite the challenges, Wu still finds purpose in her role. "The children here are growing up happy, healthy and full of sunshine," she said. "I feel like I have come here to fulfill my dream of teaching." Last year alone, she spent about 270 days on the island. "Although we are on a very remote island, our education system is quite advanced," Wu said. "We stay closely connected with schools in places like Beijing and Shanghai through cutting-edge digital tools." Wu Zhongming, a 25-year-old math teacher, first arrived in 2021 as a teaching intern and decided to stay. "Kids often ask me, 'Will I see you again next semester?'" he said. "I really like this place, the kids and the people I work with." Children are also blessed with a number of unique educational resources. Through the "blue education" program, marine biologists from local research institutions visit the school to teach students about everything from coral reef fish to native coastal plants. The children also visit beaches and a marine museum to deepen their understanding of the ocean they live alongside. Wu Zhongming recalled a special science class last semester, when the classroom moved to a nearby weather station. "Here, the children learned to read weather maps and worked with professional meteorologists to predict natural disasters," he said. "They were shown the potential damage of typhoons and taught how to stay safe." There is also a "green education" program. Every Wednesday, students, teachers and community members participate in Love Island Day to plant trees, pick up litter and help protect the island's environment. "We want the children to understand from an early age that the ocean is fragile," Wu Zhongming said. "Protecting it is not only our responsibility, but also the most direct way to safeguard our home." WHERE DREAMS SET SAIL The ocean doesn't just shape the curriculum, it sparks the imagination. Picture books on marine life are popular among the youngest learners. Crayon drawings of dolphins, palm trees, boats and coral reefs brighten the school's walls. Teachers have even created an original comic book, "The Little Ant Goes Traveling," in which a tiny ant named Aisha stumbles upon Yongxing Island and surrounding islets, embarking on an adventurous journey. For many students, the ocean is both familiar and fascinating, though some find it a little frightening. "I really like the sea," said Deng, eagerly listing the sea creatures he has seen up close, such as seagulls, flying fish, starfish and turtles. "I know about dolphins, sharks and sea lions," 7-year-old Yang Juncheng said. "But I don't like the sea very much. It's kind of scary. The sharks might eat us." Guo Xing, vice principal of Yongxing School, said the island school is a testament to China's commitment to making education accessible to all. With 1.4 billion people, China now has the largest education system in the world. When the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, 80 percent of the population was illiterate. However, by 2023, China had 498,300 schools with 291 million students and 18.92 million full-time teachers, according to the Ministry of Education. The gross enrollment rates of preschool, secondary and higher education reached 91.1 percent, 91.8 percent and 60.2 percent, respectively. Achieving equality in education is a goal of the Chinese government, but it is not an easy task. In 1978, when China began its reform and opening up, it was a poor country with a per capita GDP of less than 200 U.S. dollars. In vast rural areas, many children were unable to attend school simply because their parents could not afford the fees. In remote mountainous regions, dropout rates remained high. The government's poverty alleviation campaign has not only lifted 800 million people out of poverty over the span of four decades, but also helped turn children's desire to attend school into reality. The best buildings in the countryside are often schools. Poor students always get financial aid. China's commitment to universal education now spans almost every corner, from mountains to islands, with the goal of ensuring that no child is left behind. At a key meeting of the Communist Party of China held last year, the Chinese leadership decided to fully implement the strategy of invigorating China through science and education, highlighting education, science, technology and talent as the basic and strategic underpinning of Chinese modernization. Back on Yongxing Island, the school's original campus is undergoing renovations and will soon be more modernized. The children also hope their dreams will come true. Yang Juncheng aspires to become an archaeologist, while 6-year-old Liang Zhiqing dreams of becoming a doctor to save lives. Wu Quansui hopes the school will grow into a full six-grade primary school so that more island children can chase their dreams. "This is what the children, their families and everyone in the city hope for," she said. "And one day, I hope to see our first group of students from Yongxing Island make it to college." Enditem (Reporting by Han Song, Cheng Lu, Zhong Qun, Chen Ziwei and Xia Tian) |
