Youth palaces bring afterschool activities to rural schools

Students of Dongshan township primary school practice the harvest dance of the Yao ethnic group at a youth palace. [Photo by Wei Jianping and Haung Deyu/hcwang.cn]

Students in rural Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region can now enjoy a variety of extracurricular activities thanks to the establishment of youth palaces.

A primary school in Dongshan township, Bama Yao autonomous county began enriching its curriculum on May 24 by offering afterschool calligraphy and music lessons.

Among the 1,083 students, 860 are "left-behind children" whose parents have left home to search for work in the city, according to Lan Guining, the school principle.

"They didn't have extracurricular activities before, but now they have the opportunity to enjoy a more fulfilling school life," Lan said.

Hechi is home to numerous ethnic groups and boasts a rich ethnic culture. The youth palaces also serve as a platform to pass down traditional ethnic culture.

Students of a primary school in Dahua Yao autonomous county play the bronze drum, a traditional percussion instrument among minorities in Southwest China. [Photo by Wei Jianping and Haung Deyu/Hechi Daily]

"Students from the Yao ethnic group make up 98 percent of the students in our school", Lan said, "Traditional Yao culture, such as crossbow-shooting and the bronze drum dance, has been incorporated into the school curriculum. Folk artisans and inheritors of intangible cultural heritage are invited to give lectures."

Youth palaces have become an important tool for Hechi to teach young people about Yao ethnic culture. Students have given performances for Phoenix Satellite Television and China Central Television (CCTV), the principle said proudly.

Hechi has pushed for the development of youth palaces as a livelihood project since 2011 in order to provide a healthy environment for children to grow and learn as well as to narrow the education gap between urban and rural areas.

Seventy youth palaces have been built and 14 are under construction in Hechi. They cover a total area of 42,000 square meters.

Hechi places great importance on the project and requires that public funds be put to good use. Indoor areas must be at least 200 square meters and each activity must be guided by one or two teachers, according to an official from the Civilization Office of the Hechi government.

At least 3.5 million yuan ($547,100) and 100,000 devices have been donated from units and groups to support the development of youth palaces since 2011.