Students get soaked exercising in rain for visiting leaders   

学生冒雨做操领导撑伞视察 校方：下狗屎也要做操

Sudents at at No. 1 Middle School in Rongzhou town perform exercises in the rain while visitors walk around with umbrellas on March 13. (Photo/China Youth Daily)

(ECNS) - A collection of photos showing students performing exercises in the rain while visitors walk around with umbrellas has made headlines, putting the school at the center of much debate.

Standing in rows and wearing uniforms, hundreds of students braved the rain to practice group exercises at No. 1 Middle School in Rongzhou town, Yulin city, Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on March 13.

In China, such "radio calisthenics" are routinely broadcast in schools, and students perform exercises to music during their study breaks. It's part of compulsory sports education, but is usually suspended during bad weather.

A student who wishes to remain anonymous said the school required them to prepare for the performance one week in advance, as important leaders from Yulin were scheduled to visit, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

A photographer who lives near the school also told the newspaper that students were seen practicing for a week ahead of the visit.

On Internet forums, many have accused the school of sacrificing student interests.

But the headmaster said that several retired leaders were among the visitors that day, and that umbrellas were provided out of concern for their health and well-being.

He also said the visiting group only stayed for 20 minutes, and that it was not raining heavily.

A local official said the umbrellas were used to protect cameras used by a TV station, according to the newspaper report.