Tibetan Teenagers Happy Study in Beijing

Teenagers from the Tibet Autonomous Region who study in Beijing Tibet Middle School feel happy and quite at home thanks to the school's pleasant environment.

And almost 100 students from the senior middle class will visit Beidaihe, a famous summer resort in Hebei Province, later this month.

With the school covering all expenses, the students will spend two weeks there to escape the hot Beijing weather and do field trips to broaden their minds, said the school's division of life services.

Each year, the school holds a series of activities ranging from visiting historical places to touring scenic spots. Students can easily take part as the government-funded school pays all their expenses.

"I like Beijing. I can go to the Summer Palace and other beautiful places, to bookstores or go window-shopping to see colourful clothes," said Tibetan girl Sangdan Quzhen.

"A good advantage of studying in Beijing is that I'm better informed of major domestic and international affairs, compared to my peers in my hometown," said another girl Sang Zhen.

Beijing Tibet Middle School, set up in 1987, is aimed at giving children from Tibet a better learning environment, said schoolmaster Piao Rongting.

The school enrolls 200 students from Tibet each year, 100 for junior classes, the rest for senior middle classes.

"Students from Tibet have many good characteristics, such as respecting teachers and being diligent in studies," said Piao.

Starting in 1985, the central government decided to sponsor Tibetan classes or schools in better developed cities to help ease the region's shortage of teaching staff, according to the Ministry of Education.

So far, the country has opened 23 Tibetan classes of junior and senior school level, and 50 classes of technical school level. These classes, scattered in 100 schools in 25 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, are attended by 13,850 Tibetan students.

Transport, accommodation, clothes, medical care and other daily expenses for these students are all supported by the central and regional governments, said the ministry's Department for Ethnic Group Education.

In addition to basic subjects such as mathematics, physics and chemistry, Tibetan classes or schools also offer English and Tibetan language training.

Graduates of senior classes can take part in the national college entrance exams together with those from ordinary schools.

On average, students who attend Tibetan classes in better developed cities get higher marks in the national college entrance exams than those who study in the Tibet Autonomous Region, according to the department.

Both middle school and college graduates go back to Tibet to help with their area's economic and social development, said a representative of the department.





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