New students at Mangbu Secondary School, Zhenxiong county, Yunnan province, line up to form the phrase "No 1" during military training in 2019. (SHEN JIE/FOR CHINA DAILY)
Mangbu Secondary School's success has brought renown to Zhenxiong, a county that was once mired in poverty.
Even though he graduated three years ago, Wang Qiaosong is still an idol for many students at his old high school in Zhenxiong county, Yunnan province.
That's because he was the first alumnus to be enrolled by Peking University — aka PKU — one of China's most prestigious schools.
Mangbu Secondary School is located in Mangbu township, about 30 kilometers from Zhenxiong's county seat. The only bus between the two places takes more than 60 minutes along a zigzag mountain road.
At the end of 2020, Zhenxiong was one of the last counties in China to eradicate poverty. It once had the reputation of being a county with low-quality education and a poor level of development.
However, last year, 77 percent of the 1,061 high school graduates from Mangbu Secondary School enrolled at universities, with 211 gaining admittance to prestigious schools.
Wang, 21, who scored 691 points out of a possible 750 in the national college entrance exam, or gaokao, spent all his primary and secondary school years in Mangbu.
His parents left home years ago to find work in larger cities, so his grandparents cared for him.
"I have never found studying hard — perhaps that's because I have helped my family with farmwork since childhood, so I know that studying in class is easier than working in the fields," he said.
The school day starts at 6:30 am and ends at 10:30 pm. It is a strict, repetitive schedule, and in order not to be late, some students can run up five flights of stairs in about 30 seconds.
Wang said that despite the grueling schedule, he chose to focus on the brighter side of studying.
"For example, I could see the sunrise in the mountains before the morning reading session and enjoy the beautiful sunset during the evening self-study period. Sometimes, if the door to the roof of the teaching building was unlocked, I could also watch the stars," he said.
Students read on the school campus in 2021. (CHEN YABO/FOR CHINA DAILY)
According to Caixin magazine, Wang was awarded a scholarship worth 200,000 yuan ($29,000) by the township government and the school as a reward for getting into PKU. The school also held an hourlong firework display to celebrate Wang's achievement.
Wang said he is grateful to many people for being able to enroll at PKU. Although his parents were far from home, they always reminded him to study hard whenever they called, and his grandfather was also strict about his academic studies.
Moreover, teachers at Mangbu Secondary School helped him greatly and his classmates also motivated him, he said.
The school's success is the result of Zhenxiong's continuous investment in education and the importance it attaches to education, especially in the less-developed areas, Wang said, adding that in his six years at the school, he witnessed how the teaching facilities were upgraded.
The sacrifices made by the teachers are also responsible for the school's development, with some treating the students like their own children, he said.
Students compete in a race on campus last year. (CHEN YABO/FOR CHINA DAILY)
Major makeover
He Qibing, the vice-principal, said the school has undergone a major makeover in the past 10 years.
When he first started working there a decade ago, the school had just a single three-story teaching building, a one-story office block and a two-story dormitory for the students. Now, it has five teaching buildings, two office buildings, two laboratory buildings, four student canteens, a canteen for the teachers and 11 student dormitory buildings. It also boasts a soccer field, 11 basketball courts and four volleyball courts.
A decade ago, the school only had 1,000 middle school students and less than 100 teachers. The numbers have risen to more than 7,000 middle and high school students and almost 500 teachers, making it the largest township secondary school in the county, He said.
Meanwhile, 10 years ago, the school was notorious for its poor academic performance and was ranked the lowest in the county.
Now, it is ranked in the top tier of Zhaotong city, which oversees the county, He said. In 2020, 649 of its graduates enrolled at universities, rising to 688 in 2021 and 821 last year, he added.
Students learn to paint during an art class in 2021. (CHEN YABO/FOR CHINA DAILY)
The biggest reason for the achievement is that the school has dedicated teachers. They have faced many difficulties head-on, with many never taking leave and maintaining the same busy schedule as the students to make sure that more children can realize their dreams, he added.
Tan Maoqiao, who has taught at the school since 1996, said that as an alumnus he knows how difficult it is for rural children to change their destiny through education and see the wider world. Thus, he did not hesitate to teach at the school after graduating from a vocational college in Zhaotong.
Living conditions in Mangbu are not very good, with frequent fog and rain, and Tan does not have much time to look after his elderly parents, but simply witnessing the school's progress has made him committed to continuing devoting himself with passion and dedication, he said.
Wu Kongxiong has taught at the school for 24 years, since he graduated from Yunnan Normal University in 1999.
"I chose to teach at the school 20-plus years ago because I had to make a living, but I stayed because I have seen the worst times and want to make them better," he said.
"The school is successful because we have an exceptional principal, a united and dedicated teaching group and hardworking students."
Children enjoy reading together on the school soccer field last year. (SHEN JIE/FOR CHINA DAILY)
Working toward a dream
Li Jing, a senior student at the high school will take the gaokao in June. Her dream school is also Peking University.
As a Mangbu native, the 17-yearold feels a sense of belonging and happiness at the school. Studying there can also help save her parents money due to the generous scholarships awarded to students with good academic performances, she said.
The school offers three years of free tuition and accommodations, and 3,000 yuan in subsidies every year for students who perform well in the high school entrance exam, according to Mangbu's enrollment brochures.
Li gets up at 6 am and arrives in her classroom at 6:30. She takes an hourlong break at noon and returns to her dormitory at 10:30 pm. She said she enjoys the full schedule because she can study and rest well, and she feels happy and fulfilled.
"To enroll at PKU, I will have to work harder. Although the dream is still far away, I believe that with my teachers' help and care and my dedication, it can be achieved," she said.
