Xinjiang rural schools through the eyes of a Uygur mother

URUMQI, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Mahir Mamat, an urban middle school teacher who is also the mother of a two-year-old girl, recently undertook a special journey, traveling to rural schools in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to understand the real situation of the local educational environment.

The 27-year-old teacher was astounded to see the exceptional facilities at a village-level kindergarten and a primary school in Dayangshu Village near Aksu City in southern Xinjiang. The institutions have brand-new classroom buildings, fully-equipped amenities, and even offer free meals to the children.

The village kindergarten has 134 Uygur kids and it offers music, painting, and craft courses as well as organizes various outdoor activities. The kids begin their day at 9:30 a.m., take a two-hour nap around lunchtime and return home at 6 p.m.

The nearby primary school of the village offers its 398 pupils an array of academic choices ranging from Chinese literature, mathematics, English and history to physical education, music and art classes.

Each classroom is equipped with digital devices, such as computers and projectors, and a remote learning system that gives students access to online educational resources from other schools.

The school dormitory can accommodate 65 students and those who stay in the dorm are usually from faraway places, Mahir Mamat said, adding that there are teachers who look after the students.

Dayangshu is a typical village in southern Xinjiang. Most of the local residents are Uygurs who make a living by growing walnuts, rice and wheat.

"I was surprised when the headteacher of the kindergarten told me that I can find such schools in other villages across Xinjiang," she said.

"I've heard too much absurd stuff about Xinjiang, like 'forced labor,' 'genocide' or Uygur kids not being able to get a proper education, and these claims are just outright lies," she added.

Mahir Mamat, who hails from Aksu, is one of many people who has benefited from Xinjiang's education policy.

Thanks to the learning opportunities and policy support provided by the government, she could attend college in east China's coastal province of Zhejiang.

"The education policy in Xinjiang today is way better than what it was when I was a kid, and the policy even covers rural areas," said Mahir Mamat, who returned to Aksu in 2019 after graduation.

With support from the central government, Xinjiang has taken all necessary measures to develop the education sector and ensure that people of all ethnic groups are equally benefited from educational advancement in the region.

In 2020, the gross enrollment rate of preschool institutions reached 98.2 percent, the completion rate of nine-year compulsory education was 95.7 percent, and the gross enrollment rate of senior high schools reached 98.9 percent, according to a white paper titled "Respecting and Protecting the Rights of All Ethnic Groups in Xinjiang."

"The kindergartens in Xinjiang villages are in excellent shape, not to mention those in the urban areas. Next year, my daughter will attend kindergarten, and I am confident that she will thoroughly enjoy the experience," Mahir Mamat said.