Looking after the kids 'left behind'

Haier Group, China's consumer electronics giant, is to work with the United Nations Children's Fund on a project to help the growing number of children in China whose parents are forced to work outside their home towns.

The program, being funded with 10 million yuan ($1.6 million) from Haier, will introduce what's called social emotional learning into 150 rural primary schools in three county-level cities in rural China: Zhong county in Chongqing municipality, Nayong county in Guizhou province and Sanjiang Dong autonomous county in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Gillian Mellsop, UNICEF's representative in China, said that social emotional learning is an innovative teaching method that looks beyond learning and into life skills, including how individuals deal with themselves, others and relationships, and how to improve the whole school experience.

"The methods and content attempt to make the school environment feel more inclusive and so no student feels left out. They'll feel more confident and can better handle problems with friends," said Mellsop.

"It encourages student participation and gives them a sense of mental and physical security."

It is estimated that in China there are more than 60 million children who are referred to as "left behind" by their parents, and who are forced to live with relatives or even on their own as a result. Mellsop said many feel lonely and stressed and urgent help is needed to offer guidance on how to overcome their negative emotions.

She said that teachers in many rural areas are becoming increasingly concerned about these children's social needs, but they often lack both the resources and the skills to support them.

The Haier/UNICEF project will provide special training to education workers and teachers in the three cities on how to improve their plight.

Guo Xiaoping, an education specialist, will be in charge of the project and says that while there is a lot of experience of this kind of teaching internationally, there is very little in China.

"We have established an expert panel to compile textbooks for young Chinese children having to cope with this, and their use is already being tested at schools by different grades."

Zhou Yunjie, rotating president of Haier Group, said the company has been committed to social welfare since its establishment in 1984. "Devotion to social welfare is an important part of our company's culture," he said.

"Over the past decade we have actively participated in the country's efforts in environmental protection, in dealing with disasters, and with education projects."

The Qingdao-based company has spent over 80 million yuan building 206"Hope Schools" across the country - a project that brings education into poverty-stricken rural areas.

Contact the writers at huqing@chinadaily.com.cn and xiechuanjiao@chinadaily.com.cn