Distance-learning Project bridges cross-provincial rural education

“I still remember clearly how excited our children at Shijiayingzi village in Xingshuxi town, Guyang county of Baotou were when they first encountered computers. “Can everyone of us touch the computer once?” students, with surprising look, asked their teachers. “We are graduating soon. We want to enter our names in computers,” said some Primary 5 students.

Modern distance-learning education has been implemented in 70 schools in Guyang, Baotou. With the vehicles, transporting the necessary equipment, travelling over 300 km per day, and the team toiled 13 hours each day, the installation works of all distance learning equipment was completed in merely 15 days so teachers and students can reap the benefits of the equipment earlier.”  -- Mr Liu Zhenji, Former Head of the Centre for Education Technology of Inner Mongolia

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Liu Kekan, in his 70s, is a villager of Mapo Village in Mapo Town, Yuzhong county of Gansu province. He waited outside the entrance of a school early in the morning with Ngan Yudong and other fellow villagers. When trunks, transporting the equipment of distance learning pulled off, they immediately dashed forward to help transport the equipment. The principal said: “This set of equipment is a gift to us by the state and Mr Li Ka-shing. With this equipment, our children can learn while teachers teach in Beijing.”

Mr Liu, the elderly man, uttered emotionally: “Mr Li offered the money. We’d love to offer help.” 

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Achievements

A high-speed, interactive multimedia platform was created to facilitate equal access for students in remote areas. Equipment was installed in 10,000 schools and training was provided for 10,000 teachers. This innovative project had such a positive impact on the quality of education that the Government used STAND to launch a full-scale distance education program, enabling 120 million students to experience quality education in a digital learning environment.