The new look of Douhong Primary School. (data picture)
Douhong Primary School in 1980s. Photo by Dai Xingtang
Students in Class 1, Grade 6, Douhong Primary School are having a science class. Dai Longfei
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Rural education development
After the founding of New China in 1949, Douhong Primary School in Douhong Village, Huize County, Yunnan Province began its own evolutionary history. From being funded mainly by the clansmen, to being funded by all the villagers themselves, and then to being fully funded by the government, Douhong Primary School has gradually transformed from a humble ancestral hall into a modern standard school with several buildings, playgrounds and complete teaching facilities.
"Overcome the obstacles", earn work points, work-study program, fund-raising, literacy, two exemptions and one supplement, nutrition improvement plan, "985" & HELIP; … In the past 70 years, Douhong Primary School has grown up with the Republic. Every historical term in Douhong Primary School is a projection of the grand history of educational development in the Republic. A drop of water can reflect the brilliance of the sun. From the "triple jump" of Douhong Primary School, people can feel the vivid practice and vigorous pulse of the new China education development.
In 1946, Yang Anfu, an old branch secretary of Douhong Village, Huize County, Yunnan Province, was 7 years old at that time and had reached the age of primary school. The "Yulu Center National School" is just at home, and it takes only a few minutes to walk to school. Every day, Yang Anfu has to go through a school gate and then enter an arch with a plaque of "Kesheng Zuwu" to reach the school.
"At that time, I studied San Zi Jing and Hundred Family Names, and I also learned some arithmetic. After liberation in 1949, there was history, geography, language and music. " Talking about the past, 80-year-old Yang Anfu was a little excited, and even sang The Yellow River Cantata’s melody.
More than 70 years have passed, and Yang Anfu has watched Douhong Primary School gradually change from an ancestral temple to a school with a three-story teaching building, a three-story teacher dormitory, a two-story canteen, a basketball court and toilets, a computer room, a science classroom and a music classroom. Moreover, children can eat nutritious meals with meat and vegetables every day without spending a penny.
A school that grew out of the ancestral temple.
Speaking of Dai’s ancestral hall, retired teacher Dai Purun opened a chatterbox. He was born in Douhong Village, completed his primary school studies in Douhong Primary School, and returned to Douhong Primary School as a teacher and principal for 31 years after graduation.
"The steep red village is almost entirely our Dai clan. Dai’s clan is very discerning. In order to train more scholars for the family, in 1912, the family hired Wang Yongji, a native of Xuanwei Xize, to open a school in the ancestral hall of the family. The students were mainly Dai’s descendants. " Depprun said.
In 1954, Dai Purun was 7 years old, and when he reached the age of going to school, he went directly to his own school to study.
"At that time, the new China was just established, and the government could not invest a lot of money to set up rural education in the face of the riddled mess. It can only emphasize ‘ Farmers’ education should be done by themselves ’ The Dai family is still the main investor of Douhong Primary School. " Depprun said.
Dai invested in repairing the ancestral school, which is "the best building in the village". At that time, Dai Dongyin was the township head, Dai Bingqiang was the husband, and Dai Bingxian was the teacher. A shareholders’ meeting composed of local elders and squires was responsible for the operation of the whole school. The Dai family took out part of the land rent for inviting teachers, repairing houses and purchasing school supplies.
Up to now, Dai Purun still clearly remembers the plaque of "Kesheng Zuwu" hanging on the arch.
"Gram is to conquer, rope is to bind, and the plaque records the achievements of Dai clan people in conquering bandits. Building the school in the ancestral hall is also a tribute to the ancestors and an emphasis on education. " Dai Purun said that studying as a child is very solemn and serious. "Every time my husband asks us to recite, we have to make a bow before Confucius ranks, and then begin to recite."
In the early days of liberation, teachers were difficult. There was only one teacher, Zhao Guoyi, for more than 80 students in four grades in Douhong Primary School, but Zhao Guoyi was the first teacher of "a large number of outstanding people" such as the deputy magistrate of Huize County, the director of forestry bureau and the director of post office, including Dai Puyan, a key figure in the development history of Douhong Primary School in the 1980s.
By the 1960s, the scale of Douhong Primary School had expanded to more than 100 people, including students from three surrounding villages, and the shortage of teachers was even greater.
In 1961, Dai Purun was recommended to No.4 Middle School and No.1 Middle School in Zhehai Town because of his excellent grades and excellent academic performance. Not long after, his teacher Zhao Guoyi found him, hoping that he could go back to Douhong Primary School to teach.
"At that time, I was only 15 years old and my family was poor. I could work early to subsidize my family, so I agreed." Dai Purun said, "Chinese and mathematics are all in the bottom. Our three teachers take classes in four grades and earn 10 work points a day, which is equivalent to an adult labor force."
Dai Purun was transferred to Yantan Primary School after only one year as a teacher in Douhong Primary School, but this year he taught a "good student", which is another key figure in the development history of Douhong Primary School and Dai Xingshan, the oldest branch secretary in Douhong Village.
From 1960 to 1966, Dai Xingshan went to primary school in Douhong, using a brush and toilet paper, sitting on a stone bench and a stone table with four students behind it. "The conditions are very difficult." After graduation, Dai Xingshan went out to serve as a soldier and returned to Douhong in 1980.
"After more than ten years, the school building has not changed much, the number of students has increased to more than 300, the school space is obviously insufficient, and the building is seriously aging." In Dai Xingshan’s eyes, Douhong Primary School should be changed.
Dai Puyan has the same view as Dai Xingshan. After graduating from Douhong Primary School in 1955, Dai Puyan went all the way to Dongchuan Normal School. After graduation, he was assigned to work as a teacher in a neighboring town. In 1978, he was transferred back to Douhong Primary School as the principal.
Returning to his alma mater again, Dai Puyan described it as "a big surprise" — — The old ancestral hall of Dai family is full of broken beams and columns, collapsed walls and even branches.
"One thousand collapsed? Who will guarantee the safety of teachers and students? " In Dai Puyan’s view, Douhong Primary School should also change.
However, just after the "Cultural Revolution", the countryside was in depression. "I have to change." Dai Puyan thought.
Soon, the opportunity came. The county education bureau held the annual meeting of parish leaders, attended by Dai Puyan. "After listening to the report and group discussion, I got the nerve to tell the truth about the steep red, and the venue was silent at that time."
Dai Puyan felt a knock on the shoulder from behind. Looking back, he was Yang Neng, the head teacher of Dongchuan Normal School, who was then the director of Huize County Education Bureau. Yang Neng told him, "Come to my house in the evening."
With uneasy feelings, Dai Puyan came to Yang Neng’s house at night.
"Is your speech at the group meeting true today?" Yang Neng asked.
"I have been studying under you for three years and can’t lie." Dai puzhen said.
"Well, I’ll give you 6000 yuan to repair Douhong Primary School." Yang Neng said.
But Dai Puyan still has his own ideas. "According to the meaning of the Education Bureau, it means tinkering, but Douhong Primary School has more than 300 students, and the existing scale can no longer accept so many people. Moreover, the ancestral hall has been used for decades, and there is no value in repairing it. It should be demolished and rebuilt." Dai Puyan didn’t express his meaning directly, but promised to go back and finish the task.
Back in Douhong Primary School, Dai Puyan expressed his thoughts with the education group leader. "6000 yuan to build a new school? And if you tear down Dai’s ancestral temple, will the people allow it? " The education team leader asked.
Dai Puyan didn’t think about the idea of his uncles and brothers. "This is the ancestral hall that demolished his own home, and the clan opposed it very loudly, but I am the principal, responsible for the safety of teachers and students, and doing a good job in education is also for the future of Dai’s family." In the opposition of the clan, Dai Puyan still started work.
Tear down the ancestral temple and rebuild the school.
Under heavy pressure, the reconstruction project of Douhong Primary School started at the end of 1982. Tear down the ancestral temple and start all over again! Dai Puyan is very motivated, and teachers and villagers are also very supportive.
At that time, the release of "Decision on Popularizing Primary Education" and "Notice on Strengthening and Reforming School Education in Rural Areas" also mobilized the enthusiasm of farmers, and rural areas all over the country spontaneously raised funds and collected donations to raise funds through various channels to set up education.
In just one year, a small civil structure building with two floors and 10 rooms was built, with a total cost of 15,000 yuan. Except for 6,000 yuan given by the county, all the rest were self-raised.
"In fact, there was a lack of money, materials and manpower at that time." In Dai Puyan’s words, rebuilding the school is "rolling the felt together, and the wider it is".
Lack of money, the villagers 5 yuan, 10 yuan together; Lack of materials, people have donated pillars and rafters of wood, and bricks and tiles; Shortage of manpower, all 17 teachers went into battle, carrying wood and bricks, "their shoulders were crushed" … …
A few years after the house was built, Dai Puyan was transferred, and Dai Purun took over as the principal.
"In 1988, I returned to Douhong Primary School, and a two-story house with civil structure was built. At that time, Douhong Primary School was the best school I had ever stayed in, but I still have regrets." What Dai Purun said is that the school has no supporting facilities such as toilets and playgrounds, and the conditions are still difficult.
Dai Purun found his student, then Dai Xingshan, the village party secretary of Douhong, hoping that he could mobilize the villagers to raise funds to repair the toilets and playgrounds.
"At that time, the funds of Douhong Village were still very tight." Dai Xingshan recalled, but Dai Purun thought, "It is worthwhile to spend some money on education no matter how tight the funds are."
Dai Purun persuaded Dai Xingshan. Dai Xingshan took the brigade members from door to door to raise funds, and finally raised 9000 yuan, built toilets for the school, leveled the playground, built a basketball court, and added simple desks and chairs & HELIP; …
Recalling the past, Dai Xingshan felt particularly difficult.
"At that time, the national policy, education is hierarchical management, middle schools belong to the county level, and primary schools belong to township management. The construction of the school mainly relies on the villagers to raise funds. In addition to fundraising, Douhong Village raises funds from 5 yuan, and the cadres of the brigade go down to raise funds from the people every day. " Dai Xingshan said.
In order to solve the financial difficulties, the Compulsory Education Law of People’s Republic of China (PRC) issued in 1986 and the detailed rules for the implementation of the Compulsory Education Law of People’s Republic of China (PRC) later refined the education surcharge to the people’s governments at the township level, and the funds needed for the new construction, renovation and expansion of schools were refined to the villages and towns, adding the content of applying part of the school’s work-study program income to improve school conditions.
Dai Xingshan was impressed by the work-study program. "At that time, the place was very poor. Students’ textbooks, notebooks, pencils, teachers’ teaching AIDS, and lighting fuel were all gone." One day a week, teachers take students to do some local services, such as collecting firewood, moving bricks and tiles, carrying coal and picking wild fruits … … Solve the teaching needs through labor income.
At that time, Chen Zhengliang, the later headmaster of Douhong Primary School, was the head teacher in the school. From grade two to grade five, Chen Zhengliang earned more than 500 yuan through work-study programs with more than 30 children in his class for more than two years.
"At that time, the tuition fee was only 8 cents, but many villagers still couldn’t afford it. Through work-study programs, no student in the class asked for money to pay tuition fees at home in those years. We also bought many school supplies and were completely self-sufficient. " Chen Zhengliang said.
Rural subsidy, mass fund-raising, work-study program … … With the word "bitter" as the head, Douhong Primary School has changed from a dwelling ancestral hall to a building with two-story civil structure classrooms, and is also equipped with toilets, playgrounds, simple desks and teaching AIDS.
At this point, Douhong Primary School has become the "best primary school" in Siliba Township.
In 1993, Dai Pugui took over from Dai Purun as the principal of Douhong Primary School. Dai Pugui caught up with a good time and did a good thing.
The good thing is that Douhong Primary School was listed as a civil school building reconstruction project school in 1998. "At that time, the superior subsidized 50,000 yuan, and the people in the village raised funds per capita in 40 yuan, raising a total of 80,000 yuan to build a brick-concrete structure teaching building with an area of 340 square meters. The construction area of Douhong Primary School has been greatly expanded, and the conditions for running schools have improved significantly. " Dai Pugui said.
In the 1990s, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council promulgated the Outline of Education Reform and Development in China, which set the goal of basically popularizing nine-year compulsory education and basically eliminating illiteracy among young people at the end of the 20th century ("two basics"), and pointed out that the focus and difficulty of "two basics" were in rural areas. In addition to daily teaching, Douhong Primary School also undertakes the task of "two basics".
"For more than three years in a row, we gave classes to children during the day and to villagers at night." Dai Putian, an old teacher, still remembers that there are 42 classes in the literacy textbook, and every night for 2 hours, teachers take turns to go to literacy classes.
"The slogan at that time was ‘ One is in charge of two schools (night schools and daytime schools), and one teacher teaches two ’ 。” Dai Xingshan said that Douhong Village completed the task of "two basics" in 2000.
Bitter words are the first step, and hard work promotes education.
Now Douhong Primary School has a beautiful and clean environment, complete basketball court, canteen, dormitory and six functional rooms. There are more than a dozen awards hanging in the teacher’s office: &hellip, the first comprehensive assessment of the advanced school in Yulu Township and the second-class school in Yulu Township; …
"After 2000, the development of the school has hardly encountered any difficulties. The wave of policy dividends has made Douhong Primary School enter a period of rapid development. Not only has the infrastructure been further improved, the teaching reform has been continuously promoted, and the teaching results have been outstanding." Dai Xingsheng (2001— President in 2014) said.
On June 11th, 2001, the State Council held a national conference on basic education, issued the Decision of the State Council on the Reform and Development of Basic Education, made a decision to further improve the management system of compulsory education in rural areas, and put forward a new system of "under the leadership of the State Council, the local government is responsible for the management at different levels, with counties as the mainstay". At the same time, the central government has decided to allocate 5 billion yuan each year to develop rural compulsory education in poverty-stricken areas, and the special transfer payment will be used for the renovation of dilapidated buildings, the payment of teachers’ salaries, and the assistance of students with financial difficulties.
With more and more foreign teachers, teachers’ accommodation has become a problem. After the abolition of agricultural tax in 2005, the government allocated 100,000 yuan, and Douhong Primary School demolished a two-story civil classroom built in 1983, built a brick-concrete structure complex building with an area of 460 square meters, and also carried out a series of ancillary constructions.
In January, 2006, the national conference on the reform of rural compulsory education funds guarantee mechanism was held, and it was decided that the rural compulsory education funds would be increased by 218.2 billion yuan in the next five years, and the tuition fees for rural primary and secondary school students would be reduced by 140&mdash per person each year. 180 yuan. China has gradually brought rural compulsory education into the scope of public financial security, explicitly exempted all rural compulsory education students from tuition and miscellaneous fees, and continued to implement the policy of "two exemptions and one subsidy" (exempting books and miscellaneous fees and subsidizing the living expenses of boarding students) for poor students, thus further reducing the burden on villagers in Douhong Village.
In 2011, the nutrition improvement plan was implemented, and the children in Douhong Village benefited again.
"From my study to now, for more than 50 years, my children have been eating corn, potato and soybean for a long time. Now, the nutritious meals include beef, pork, milk and eggs, and they are all free. " Dai Xingshan said with emotion.
In 2013, in order to make children eat hot meals, Douhong Primary School built a two-story 271-square-meter canteen on the playground.
"The children have a place to sit, and there are clean and nutritious hot meals to eat. Parents can rest assured and students can rest assured." Dai Xingsheng said.
In 2017, Douhong Primary School built a new teaching complex of 960 square meters, equipped with computer room, science classroom, art room, library and sports function room. The teaching quality has long been among the best in the second-class schools in Yulu Township.
"There are 13 primary and secondary schools in Yulu Township, and we are positioned as a second-class school. Among the seven second-class schools, Douhong Primary School has the longest history and the most outstanding school achievements. Since 2005, children from Douhong Primary School have been admitted to ‘ every year. 985’ ‘ 211’ Colleges and universities. " Zhu Yunguo, principal of Yulu Township Central School, said.
In the teacher’s office, in addition to various awards, there is also an impressive bulletin board: Dai Puzeng, a cadre of the Organization Department of Kunming Municipal Committee; Dai Puyi, director of Huize Forestry Bureau; Kong Lingming, a student in Peking University; Dai Guo, a student of Nankai University … … In the past 70 years, there have been nearly 100 outstanding alumni from Douhong Primary School.
Huize County, a national poverty-stricken county deep in Wumeng Mountain, has 128 students admitted to Peking University and Tsinghua since 2010.
What caused such changes in education in Douhong Primary School and Huize County?
In the view of Chen Jiaming, the former director of Huize Education Bureau, the reform of education investment system has completely changed the face of Huize education, and the reform of education management system has greatly improved the quality of education in Huize County.
"In the past, it used to be earthen houses, earthen tables and earthen bricks. The production team’s palm-sized public houses were used as classrooms, and it was very difficult to run a school. With the continuous increase of education funds, the implementation of a series of projects, such as compulsory education projects in poverty-stricken areas, boarding school construction projects, and weak school reconstruction projects, has made the standardization of school construction higher and higher, and schools are getting better and better. Most schools are already the best and most beautiful buildings in the area. " Chen Jiaming said.
The development of hardware ultimately serves the improvement of education quality. In order to let more students in poor mountainous areas change their fate through education, Huize County has carried out systematic and in-depth reform of education management system since 2000, laying a solid foundation for the rapid development of education.
"In line with national policies, Huize County has also carried out a series of reforms in education." Chen Jiaming said, first of all, the education funds and personnel were unified from the past township management to the county management, and the Education Bureau had the power to plan the overall school layout and personnel arrangement, and the county education played a chess game. Secondly, the principal appointment system should be implemented within the school, and the administration should be thoroughly removed, so that the principal can run the school with peace of mind. At the beginning of the new millennium, the local government has made a scientific allocation of educational resources and made a realistic layout of schools. "Primary schools should be run in large administrative villages as far as possible, junior high schools should be run in central towns, and senior high schools should be run in county towns", so as to concentrate resources and scale and improve the efficiency and quality of running schools.
Chen Jiaming proudly said that facts have proved that the reform of Huize education over the years has been successful — — The quality of high school education is outstanding, the layout of primary and secondary schools is reasonable, the teaching staff is stable and of high quality, and the students return … …
In the teaching building of Douhong Primary School, the eight characters of "Bitter words are the first, and hard work promotes education" shine.
"In the past 70 years, this is the spirit of struggle that runs through the history of Douhong Primary School." Dai Longfei, the current principal of Douhong Primary School, said that the triple jump completed by Douhong Primary School in 1980s, 2000 and 2013 could not be separated from hard work, the support of national policies and the concern of the people. The development history of Douhong Primary School reflects the development history of basic education in New China.
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National Policy and Douhong Primary School
In the early days of New China:
"Farmers’ education should be done by themselves"
Douhong Primary School attends classes in Dai’s ancestral hall, with Dai’s clan as the main investor.
In the 1980s:
The Compulsory Education Law of People’s Republic of China (PRC) issued in 1986 and the detailed rules for the implementation of compulsory education in People’s Republic of China (PRC) later refined the education surcharge to the people’s governments at the township level, and the funds needed for the new construction, renovation and expansion of schools were refined to the townships and villages.
Rural areas all over the country have spontaneously raised funds and donations, and raised funds through multiple channels to set up education. Douhong Primary School has a brick-concrete structure teaching building, built a playground and toilets, and the conditions for running schools have gradually improved.
The new Millennium:
In 2001, "the State Council’s Decision on the Reform and Development of Basic Education" further improved the management system of rural compulsory education, and put forward a new system of "under the leadership of the State Council, the local government is responsible, and the county is the mainstay".
In January, 2006, the national conference on the reform of rural compulsory education funds guarantee mechanism was held, and it was decided that the rural compulsory education funds would be increased by 218.2 billion yuan in the next five years, and the tuition fees for rural primary and secondary school students would be reduced by 140&mdash per person each year. 180 yuan. Gradually bring rural compulsory education into the scope of public financial security, explicitly exempt all rural compulsory education students from tuition and miscellaneous fees, and continue to implement the policy of "two exemptions and one subsidy" for poor students.
The development of Douhong Primary School has entered the fast lane, the campus building has taken on a new look, six functional rooms are complete, and the quality of education has been significantly improved. (Reporter Dong Luyong correspondent Zhu Yunguo)
