12th graders in China's quake-hit county to move to another school

JISHISHAN, Gansu Province, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- All 12th graders in the quake-hit Jishishan county in northwest China's Gansu Province will be relocated to another school more than 40 kilometers away for the return of normal teaching as soon as possible.

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck the Bonan-Dongxiang-Salar Autonomous County of Jishishan in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture last week, causing hundreds of casualties as well as the collapse or damage to buildings.

Jishishan county has three senior high schools, and all 1,498 12th graders who will take the college entrance exam next June will be transferred to Linxia Vocational and Technical School by Saturday, the county education department said Thursday.

"We live in the six-bed dormitory, eat at the school canteen, and my parents can drive to see me on weekends," said Chai Chenglong, one of the students.

Chai said the new school he moved into has better facilities than the online classes in the prefabricated rooms, and that in-person classes are also far more effective.

All senior high school students in Jishishan county began online classes last Friday, while primary and junior high schools resumed classes, online or offline, on Monday.

Students at some of the county's 244 schools, whose school facilities have been identified as safe, are returning to class this week.