Aftershocks, kindergartens reborn (2)

The program covered 33 kindergartens and 72 pre-schools in Sichuan, responsible for more than 23,800 children altogether, before it ended in September. It has trained more than 28 percent of the teachers in county-level kindergartens and more than 68 percent of those in towns.

Gou describes her training as "serendipity... It might open up old wounds, but the kids need me. It's time to stop moping around and do something meaningful.

"What impressed me most was the trainers talked a lot about children' s safety, which we all but ignored before."

He Luhua, a local education official noted the change in the county's teaching of young kids. "Children are the apple of parents' eye now. They care about their education. Yet, their top concern is no longer how good the kids are academically, but if they are happy.

"Unlike before, we don't want the kids to merely be robots of study. We hope they can enjoy school life. But we are short of professionals to help our children learn happily and efficiently."

MODERN TEACHING

Accordingly, UNICEF education expert Chen Xuefeng says, "the program was designed to address the barriers to accessing early childhood development services for children aged three to six in these counties."

Chen noticed the quality of China's pre-school education needs significant improvement, in rural areas particularly. Rural teachers may lack both necessary skills and training opportunities.

"Pre-school children are often educated in the same way as students in primary school. They do assignments often beyond their age, like reciting ancient poems and learning difficult math calculations," she says.

Although the State Council issued a notice in 2010 to enhance pre-school education, calling for interactive teaching methods and inquiry-based learning, teachers also need support to implement the reforms.

Chen recalled a typical scene in a rural area kindergarten in her field of research: children sitting straight, with hands crossed behind their backs, on small chairs in lines, in a shabby room, repeating words after their teacher, often an individual close to retirement.