Disaster Relief, Long Term

On April 14 this year, to mark the second anniversary of the Yushu earthquake and honor lost families and friends, 162 Tibetan students from disaster-affected areas in Qinghai Province held a series of activities at the Experimental School Attached to Peking University. These students, who now call Beijing home, aim to venerate their lost ones by excelling in their new scholastic environment at the Experimental School, so-called owing to its rigorous curriculum and high educational standards. Compared to the scene at last years commemorative ceremony, the Tibetan students seemed more relaxed, reflective and confident about their future. Big thanks go to their school and its dedicated teachers.

Teaching approach with a difference

The Experimental School Attached to Peking University was founded as a private school by Beida Jade Bird Group, a hitech company owned by the university. Dong Qi, the groups vice president, is the headmaster of the school. In Dongs opinion, one of a schools major tasks is to guide childrens happy development into adulthood.

Two years ago, Yushu, a county with a population that is 90 percent Tibetan, was completely flattened by a cataclysmic earthquake. Local students were transferred to other regions around China to continue their study as schools in their hometown were rebuilt. A total of 162 students ended up at the Experimental School Attached to Peking University.

These students had never learned English and performed poorly in math and Chinese in comparison with their Beijing schoolmates. To help them speedily improve their academic performance, teachers at the Experimental School grouped them into “teams” consisting of five members each. In each group of five, the more advanced students were expected to help those lagging behind.

Songyai Melha, in grade two of the middle school, was very timid when she arrived in Beijing at age 11. At first, she struggled with math, and couldnt keep up with her new class. Her teacher called on classmates to encourage her and help her review lessons. Today, she ranks solidly among her classmates in tests. Her mother boasts that she has become fascinated with the subject. Two years make a world of difference.

“Our ‘encouragement and recognition teaching approach, long a feature of our school environment, has been successfully applied to the new Tibetan students. Encouragement means teachers readily acknowledge any improvements students make and are patient and understanding about their difficulties or weak points. Its a more caring, involved approach,” said Headmaster Dong.

Li Shunlian, a grade two teacher at the school, believes that in dealing with academically weak students, encouragement is key. “Assurance is crucial. At the grade two level, its still early days, and teachers words can actually make or break a childs attitudes to school. I often say: ‘Youre as smart as anyone here. Youll make progress. Dont worry. It takes time, and I think the pupils appreciate it.”

In matters of art and dance, Tibetan folk culture ensures that children of the plateau are capable singers and adroit dancers. To accommodate their skills and encourage them to take up new hobbies, the school organizes a range of special extracurricular activities such as Tibetan folk dance and singing, hip-hop, martial arts, calligraphy and ball games. Thanks to a cooperation program between the school and the National Center for Performing Arts, the Tibetan students have been invited to attend world-class performances at the center.

To ensure that the children have adequate exposure to their mother tongue in their new surroundings, two Tibetan language teachers from Yushu now give classes at the school. With Chinese as the official language of instruction and a heavy emphasis on proficiency in Tibetan and English, the children are growing up multilingual and well-equipped for the modern world.

More than teachers

The schools teachers have been indispensable companions to the students, many of whom lost family members and other role models in the earthquake. Teachers offer support, whether it be academic, emotional or spiritual.

For two years now, the three teachers in charge of the Tibetan classes have been helping and mentoring the students, and not just in academic disciplines. Adjusting to life in Beijing is more than just switching textbooks.

The lack of fresh vegetables in Yushu meant that the children had formed a diet consisting almost exclusively of beef, mutton and milk. They would throw away the freshest parts of their school canteen lunches. The three teachers have since slowly won them round to following a healthier diet by teaching them the basics of nutrition.

Some adjustment problems were more serious. Owing to Yushus high altitude, infections were few and far between, and the students immune systems were relatively weak. In Beijings hot summer the Tibetan students were prone to serious infections from mosquito bites. Some were taken to hospital for treatment. Also, coming down almost to sea level from an altitude of over 4,000 meters caused them to suffer oxygen intoxication, drowsiness and dizziness during their first two months in Beijing.

Other medical problems were longer-lasting. The studentsformer dietary staple of raw beef jerky left many infected with hepatitis B. “After medical examinations in Beijing, more than 40 of them were found to have the disease, and eight had severe cases that demanded intensive treatment,” Dong said. As one teacher explained: “Our original agreement with the students was that if they caught an infectious disease, they must return to Yushu to receive treatment. After recovery, they would be entitled to come back to Beijing. We realized, however, that it would be difficult for students to catch up with classes. But the school didnt have the means to keep them in Beijing and pay for their treatment.” The situation was resolved when headmaster Dong approached Tangshan Hepatitis Hospital in neighboring Hebei Province, which agreed to take in the students most affected for no charge. Tangshan was hit by a powerful earthquake in 1976 that killed more than 240,000 people. Locals were more than willing to help those who had experiencedsimilar suffering.

Arousing inspiration

The school regularly organizes excursions. On the first MidAutumn Festival after their arrival in Beijing, the teachers took Tibetan students on a trip to the Great Wall. There is an old Chinese saying, “He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man.” The students held their heads up high as they scrambled up the wall and attained “true man” status.

Pictures of their smiling faces on a visit to the Water Cube (National Aquatics Center) and the Birds Nest (National Stadium) formed a heart-shaped collage that appeared in local newspaper, The Beijing Times.

On an organized visit to Peking University, one aspiring student said, “I hope to study here one day. Ill be sure to do my school proud.” Headmaster Dong was moved, and told the boy hed do everything he could to help him realize his goal of enrolling in the flagship university.

“In two years, these students have made great leaps in terms of both academic and emotional intelligence. These days, theyre optimistic and aspiring,” Dong said.

Last March, the school invited Tsen Kui On, former principal of Malaysias Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School, to give a lecture. Mr. Tsen asked students, “Whats the biggest crisis in China at the moment?” One Tibetan student answered, “Its the education crisis. Education is one of the most important resources of a society. If we dont have a strong education system, we cant be a powerful country.” Another replied: “Its the water crisis. Today, the whole world is short of water. South China is now seeing a huge shortage of water. We need to treasure each drop.” A Tibetan girl commented: “Its the peace crisis. Recently, riots have taken their toll around the world. A country needs peaceful and stable change rather than chaos and violence.” Another student said, “Its the imbalance in educational resources. There is a big gap between Beijing and Yushu in terms of education. The more destitute a region is, the more urgently education is needed. The fact is that wealthier regions invest more in education.”

In response to these sapient observations, Headmaster Dong asked the students, “How can you help society?” One cogent response was: “I want to run an old folks home to help cope with the aging society – there are 180 million elderly people in China.” Other students said that they would take up the mission of advancing social progress and become scientists or political thinkers. “In this regard they have totally changed. They have the courage to think big,” Dong said.

Rising above

In spite of his small stature, Yaoqiu Nima has big plans to study physical science in the best university in the U.S. and publish volumes of books. But in his second semester at the school, he fell down a flight of stairs and suffered multiple fractures to his left arm. His medical expenses alone were expected to reach RMB 36,000.

In addition to providing free tuition, the school also agreed to take on costs of accommodation, meals and insurance for the Yushu students. But when medical insurance ran low, Nima, who is his familys eldest son, became short of funds. Both parents came to Beijing to see him. As Nima recalled: “My mom came in with bloodshot eyes, and my dad looked as bad as Id ever seen him. He said he just didnt have the money and didnt know what to do. He wanted me to go home with them to Yushu.”

But Nima wanted to stay in Beijing to pursue his educational dreams. “I told him I had tests to prepare for, and couldnt leave while I had the chance to excel here.”Headmaster Dong and the teachers at the school were moved by Nimas commitment to his studies, and petitioned Yu Qingyuan, director of Beijings Civil Affairs Bureau, for financial help. Through Yus assistance, Youanmen Hospital agreed to cover the costs of Nimas medical expenses. The hospitals top surgeons operated on him, and he was soon on the road to recovery. To alleviate boredom and assist with his exam preparation, the schools caring headmaster left a pile of books by his bedside, which Nima soon got through.

For the students first winter in Beijing, kind-hearted citizens donated thermal underwear, down coats, winter shoes and scarves. On their return home for the winter break, Zhang Ren, a particularly benevolent student at Peking Universitys Guanghua School of Management, bought them return train tickets as well as dictionaries and stationery with money he raised from fellow students. Zhang even organized a New Year celebration and dinner for them. As tickets for the line between Beijing and Qinghai always run short during holidays, railway authorities stepped in during the second winter vacation, helping the Yushu students get seats on the train home and back. Next year these children from Yushu will graduate from junior middle school and have to return to Qinghai unless further financial help is found.The schools staff is currently seeking new financial sources for the most promising of them to stay on for senior high school or professional training.