China has 56 ethnic groups and more than 100 languages. In the country's far western Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, ethnic minorities, mainly Uyghurs, make up some 60% of the population. There is a renewed focus on breaking down ethnic barriers and promoting a shared national identity and economic benefits. Mandarin-instruction for all is seen as key. Since 2011, the central government has been promoting bilingual education. In today's episode, reporter Han Bin follows a Uyghur education expert and businesswoman to see how this policy is being practiced in the remote areas.
We are going to visit a school at Darya Boyi village, in Hotan County of southern Xinjiang. It's one of the farthest in the region. I'd like to see its actual situation, and to see what we can do to help the students. Due to geographical and environmental disadvantages, the village is lagging far behind. Good education for girls is important, as they will become mothers. Their educational background is key for the family. If the fate of a girl can be changed, the fate of her family will be changed.
How far to the village?
About half an hour.
Education is a long gradual process; you can't see an immediate outcome. Upgrading teacher quality is a big project. Only when teachers and parents jointly provide a comprehensive education, can students get better knowledge and capabilities.
Is bilingual education carried out at this school?
Let me introduce the situation.
Bilingual education is not really implemented at this school. Only Mandarin Chinese is taught in Chinese.
Who teaches the Chinese course?
Uyghur teachers use Uyghur to teach Chinese.
For example, there're so many special terms in mathematics. It's hard to teach in Chinese.
Research statistics show for children, from 0 to 3 is the best time for intellectual development. It's the best time to cultivate capabilities.
This period is the time for learning It might be more effective to use Uyghur during this period. While mathematics, physics and chemistry, can be taught in Chinese at school. Art and music can be taught in Uyghur.
As part of measures to boost economic development and maintaining stability, Xinjiang is promoting the use of Mandarin Chinese. The government aims to ensure most children across the region have access to bilingual education by 2020. But so far, there have been some mixed results.
I don't think learning Chinese is to marginalize the Uyghur language and culture.
The process is to learn a kind of culture.
It's not just that Uyghurs need to learn Chinese; Han Chinese are also learning Uyghur.
This mutual learning experience is essential for culture exchanges.
It's just like there's nothing wrong in learning English for a Chinese.
What we've seen is cultural integration of East and West, resulting in mutual development.
We are living a diversified world; we have to face this actual situation, and should learn the tools to seize the opportunities.
Through my investigations, I've found the village is short of both hardware and software facilities.
The disadvantages in education are obvious.
But what's needed more is to change the mindset from being isolated to growing openness, as well the urgency to improve teacher quality. The most challenging issue is the shortage of teachers who speak both Mandarin Chinese and ethnic minority languages.
Learning a language is not just for finding a good job, but for opening up opportunities and your heart to the outside world.
Does language learning help improve stability?
It certainly does. Learning a language is to learn a kind of culture, and help to reduce misunderstandings and reach common understanding between cultures.
I've taken such a long and difficult journey, to see how the students come to school and go back home through the desert areas.
This touches me so much.
The experience has strengthened my determination to continue on the path of education.
I hope students enjoy the best educational resources even in the remotest areas.
Modern science has brought changes to all corners of society; I want students here to have the right to enjoy the same conditions as children in cities.
I traveled a long road from not knowing Chinese to grasping Chinese and even English.
It gave me much greater scope for development.
I started to find life more meaningful.
I hope my experience is shared, that students can walk out of the village
to see a greater world and bring back gifts from outside, and change the destiny of their children.
