Xintian County Jicun Yu-Lang Hope School
Date of Visit: November 10, 2013
Purpose of Visit: Project Completion
Grades: 5-9 (12 classes total; only 5th & 6th grades in the elementary division)
The new school building is four stories tall. The first floor holds an auditorium, the second floor has teachers’ offices, while the third and fourth floors contain two classrooms and two teachers’ offices each. The new building is already completed, and is just waiting for the final inspection/sign-off. However, we noticed that the walls in classrooms and the hallways are painted white, which may make upkeep difficult. The campus is expansive, covering about 120 acres, and contains a fruit orchard, a pond, and a piggery. These features will be used for extracurricular education.
Students
No. of Students: 309 (boarding: 70 elementary, 80 junior high)
The atmosphere for learning is good and parents are supportive of their children’s education. There are seven students who are orphans and under the school’s guardianship. The government covers their costs of living, while the school provides for their education and daily lives. These students try especially hard to do well. About 70% of the junior high students graduate on to high school, while the remaining enter vocational school. Students do very well in athletics, particularly in track and field (sprinting and long-distance running). However, they don’t perform as well in subjects like music and art.
Teachers
No. of Teachers: 47 (12 elementary, 35 junior high)
Teacher performance is ranked sixth in Xintian County.
Buildings/Facilities
– Classrooms (including 4 new)
– Dormitory
– Teachers’ offices
– Auditorium
– Library: ~20,000 books
– Computer Room: 45 computers (CRTs)
– Cafeteria: up to 200 occupancy
– Restrooms: 24 squat-style toilets (6 on each floor)
– Fruit orchard, pond, and piggery
Problems/Issues
Aside from the new school building, the older buildings and facilities are old and should be urgently replaced. There are currently 45 computers for use, but they are outdated and should also be replaced. In addition, the library books were purchased years ago and are no longer relevant for today’s education standards. New books should be purchased. Lacking multimedia equipment.