Cheng Yu Tung College (CYTC) made a short and productive visit to Guizhou province of Mainland China. From 22nd July to 25th July, Interim College Master Lee Wee Keng, Resident Fellows Diane Lu and Tang Yu Ming, as well as four selected CYTC students visited schools in Congjiang county of Guizhou province. The Gantuan Primary School (干團小學), Gundong Secondary School (貫洞中學), Gangbian Secondary School (剛邊中學) and Dadai Primary School (大歹小學) were the four schools visited. The purpose of the visit was to meet the local officials and principals of four schools in order to discuss the challenges they face in their institution and how CYTC can help overcome them in the near future.

 

CYTC is following the Macao government project of poverty alleviation in Guizhou and it intends to do some Service-Learning programs to help the primary and secondary schools improve their education conditions. The main concern discussed was the lack of English lessons in the schools. The English language is essential to enter higher education and the two primary schools visited have no English lessons therefore the CYTC aims at sending some English teachers and college students to promote their English level in the primary and secondary schools through activities and lessons.

 

The purpose of Service-Learning program is also to encourage students to work as volunteers and gain some life-enriching experiences from blending with children, teenagers and teachers of other schools, other culture and different background.

 

As part of the program the students also visited the Basha Miao Village. The Basha Miao is a minority tribe that live on the hills about 5km away from Congjiang. They have a unique dress code and build their own wooden houses on top of the mountains. CYTC students and teachers had the opportunity to meet China’s gun-toting people, watch their traditional dance and learn about their beliefs and customs.

 

The five-hour journey from Macau to Guizhou opened doors for cooperation between CYTC and the educational institutes visited with the target of improving the education system for the rapid development of China.

 

Student reporter: Solange Tsala Safrao, Leong Kit Mei