China has lifted about eight hundred million people out of absolute poverty within 40 years. A crucial effort in achieving this goal was improving the quality of education for those living in impoverished rural areas. Our reporter Meng Qingsheng takes us to southwest China's Sichuan Province, to a middle school in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, which used to be one of the poorest regions in the country.
At Xide Middle School, these students are in English class. It's one of the three compulsory subjects tested on college entrance examinations. For Wenggu Wushamo, the test is an opportunity to embrace a bigger world.
WENGGU WUSHAMO Student, Xide Middle School "I'm in junior high school. My dream is to get into a senior high school, and then into a college. My sister is a college student. She told me that the campus life is so colorful that I can do many things to improve myself."
Most of the 50 students in this class are Yi ethnic people, and many of them are from poverty-ridden families. Lei Yousheng came here two years ago on a national program to help improve quality of teaching in rural areas.
LEI YOUSHENG Head Teacher, Xide Middle School "I think education plays a fundamental role in fighting intergenerational transmission of poverty. So we encourage students to work hard and achieve better performance. What we're doing here, is to bring positive changes to a student, to a family, an ethnic group and even a whole nation."
With special funding from the government, the school is able to provide free meals for students from poor families. Some of them are exempt from paying tuition fees and receive regular financial assistance.
Lege Watie says he prioritizes a financial solution to help those students. But for the long run, he's determined to improve the quality of teaching and provide the students with better resources.
LEGE WATIE Principal, Xide Middle School "We've piloted a program of sending some of our students to middle schools in more developed regions, where they have better chances of going to colleges. It allows them to realize an education gap, and encourages them to work even harder. When they return, they could contribute more to local communities."
When class finished, we followed Wushamo to her home in a village about five kilometers away. The family has two girls and one boy, all attending schools.
The mother told us, their family income of around 2,800 dollars a year barely covers all the expenses.
PUTI AJI Xide Resident "I've never attended schools in my life, but I wish that all my children receive high-quality education. I really hope that I could read Chinese characters, speak the language well, and expose myself to more new things."
Wushamo dreams of going to college and living a better life. Despite uncertainties, she's determined to make that dream come true.