Primary school turns new page in 10 years

The northwestern mountainous Dongxiang county is located halfway along the slope of a hill, and has been a barren place since ancient times.

Shaheichi Primary School in the county had only three grades in 2006, but now has expanded to five grades, each of which has a professional teacher, schooling 69 children.

The two-story new building was put into use in August, replacing the dilapidated building whose windows were stuffed with old newspapers to shelter from wind and whose roof had a wide hole. The yellow school building is also complemented by a library housing more than 2,000 books and a computer room is under construction.

"The biggest change is the high attention locals pay to the education of their children now," said Ma Weliang, the principal. "No matter how difficult life is at home, they send their children to school."

The nine-year compulsory education consolidation rate of the county has risen to 84.7% in 2018.