A primary school student focuses on reading a book. (Photo by ZhangXingjian/chinadaily.com.cn)
For the past 35 years, teacher Jiang Yiming has been dreaming about being part of an education aid program.
"Now, I manage to do it before my retirement,” the Shanghai Sanlin High School teacher says.
Jiang was one of 40 teachers dispatched by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission to Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region on Aug 1 to support local education. It is the second group of teachers sent to Tibet since June 2016.
Jiang has been sent to the Shanghai Experimental School in Shigatse city for a one-year exchange program and will teach as a math teacher.
“Each time I watch news on Tibetan students’ determination in pursuing their studies, my heart is shocked by those words and images,” Jiang said, “ Shanghai, a metropolis with rich educational resources, should shoulder the responsibility in bridging the gap in the field across the nation.”
Unlike other remote areas in China that require education support, Tibet seems to be more challenging for those education volunteers due to its unique geographical conditions.
For instance, Shigatse city has an average elevation of 4,000 meters and many people, newcomers in particular, easily suffer from altitude sickness.
"Jiang is the oldest teacher in this aid program," Fux Xin, Shanghai Experimental School principal, said. "At first, I am worried about Jiang's health condition, but it seems that my concern is really unnecessary."
Fu said the 62-year-old is a sports-lover and loves to do body training in his spare time. Meanwhile, he is a loving and healthy man who is passionate about donating blood without payment.
As a math teacher, Jiang believes that the modern teaching method should pay more attention to communication among students and cooperation among teachers
"The essence of education is inheritance and mutual-learning. I can pass on teaching experience and skills to local teachers while they can help me integrate with local students in an effective fashion," said Jiang.
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