FOCAL POINTS

Twenty teachers and school principals from Beichuan County, Sichuan Province, were invited to participate in the ESS basic education conference in the summer of 2009. Their room and board were fully paid by the sponsors.

Mr. Fu Guangwen, from the Education Bureau of the Qiang Minorities Autonomous County in Beichuan, reflected on the happenings in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Sichuan Province in 2008. He said that Beichuan was deeply touched by the support of the national leadership and the concern from people all over the world. Far away from the United States, ESS had given Beichuan a great deal of assistance. The timely donation of ten sets of multimedia equipment in August 2008 made it possible for the Beichuan communities to watch the spectacular Beijing Olympics, infusing them with the spirit of the entire country and people, giving them strength and confidence to overcome the adversities they faced. In the spring of 2009, ESS donated large quantities of books, musical instruments and sports equipment to the schools in the disaster areas, enriching the school life of the children and bringing them hope. The training at the ESS basic education conference was a memorable experience for the Beichuan teachers. They would be bringing home not only advanced teaching concepts, ideas, methods and experience, but also the warmth of people from other parts of the world.

Fan Xiaowen, from Guanlinling Primary School in Beichuan, said that the assistance offered to Beichuan through participation in the basic education conference had a very special meaning. The training not only provided to the participants information on teaching methods, but also gave them encouragement and confidence, helping them become better teachers.

Chen Hui, from Hand-in-Hand Hope Primary School, said that he had been a teacher for over 20 years in a rural school deep in the mountains. He and his students had hardly any opportunity to see the outside world. For the very first time he stepped outside of Sichuan Province to attend the conference, for the very first time he boarded a train and an airplane, and for the very first time he received such high level training. Not only was he able to gain some understanding of advanced education concepts and ideas in China and other countries, but he was also deeply moved by the conscientious attitude of the lecturers giving the presentations.

Zhang Jianhong, from Guixi Primary School, remembered that his family suffered painful material and spiritual losses in the earthquake in May 2008. Both his father and his wife died, and he was engulfed in deep sorrow. The experience at the conference in Nanning helped him revive his spirit. He gained a great deal of knowledge during the four-day training. He would bring what he had learned back to his fellow teachers and students, and help bring a better future to his community.