In China, most private schools suffer from shortage of support from government favorable policies. And Huaguang High School for Female Students, Nanning, Guangxi is of no exception. After struggling for its survival for five years, the school is going to be closed.
The School, the only charity high school for female students in China, was founded in June 2000. According to Ms Liu Guanghua, headmaster of the School, it might have to be closed before the winter holiday to fall in the middle of January 2006 after a 5.5-year operation.
The legislation relating to promotion of private education in China does not facilitate the charity schools like Guanghua to develop; instead, it brings favorable policies to those private schools targeted at students from rich families. The schools for the children of farmer-turned workers and other people in need in big cities are especially discriminated.
In the past five years, the School has aided totally 260 girls and 94% of the students took the national college entrance exam were admitted by universities, which means a great contribution to some local minorities in Guangxi. In order to raise money for the School, 75% students of which are from disadvantageous families unable to pay any tuition, Ms Liu Guanghua has tried all kinds of methods including making phone calls frequently to the mayor, seeking for financial support. What makes it worse is that the building the School uses is rented and if they fail to pay the rent by January 15, 2006, they will be driven out by the land owner.
Ms Liu Guanghua is quite clear that the School has almost come to its end if there is no miracle. What makes her upset is that about 100 students supported financially by the school will have to be dropped out and those young teachers who have been working with her for the past years will lose their job.
In china, reforming educational system has been advocated for many a year, but a great many children from remote and poor areas still cannot get the opportunity to go to school. There is a long way to go before fairness in education is realized.