The expression of "knowledge changes one's fate", a popular
slogan of China's educational promotion campaign, not only caught
farmer Wang Gaping's attention, but also helped motivate him.
"Being able to read and write, I think, will bring me confidence
and courage," said the 35-year-old man from Sancha Township in
northwest
Gansu Province.
Thanks to a wide-ranging literacy campaign, Wang, a farmer, has
learned more than 300 Chinese characters and he is beginning
realize that he has controlled his own destiny. "When I learn more
I might try to seek my fortune in cities," Wang said.
Wang comes from a deep rural region. His land is in the county
of Zhangxian, an impoverished, mountainous region some 300
kilometers from the capital city of Lanzhou in Gansu. Wang used to
hide his embarrassment over not being able to read or write. He
could not even distinguish the Chinese character of men from that
of women that hang outside public toilets.
Despite his progress and new-found confidence Wang still needs
more time and effort in order to reach national standards for
literacy. The standard requires a rural resident to be able to read
1,500 characters, while an urban resident needs to know 2,000
characters.
In the country's underdeveloped west region about 9 percent of
the population over the age of 15 remain illiterate, 5 percent
higher than the national average.
The country launched a literacy campaign targeting the west in
2004, where education had lagged behind the nation. Its ambitious
goal was to eliminate illiteracy by 2007.
With less than two years to go in the campaign, Wen Panxi, a
provincial education official, honestly admits that illiteracy
remains high in 19 counties in Gansu and that it's going to be
tough to meet the target.
Literacy campaigns have become increasingly important in the
rural areas since the release in October of the central
government's far-reaching plan to invigorate China's countryside.
More than 75 percent of those who can't read or write live in the
rural areas.
"Farmers will play an essential role in building the new
countryside, and basic literacy is an indispensable part of their
competency, "said Wen, adding that most of those who can't read are
now scattered in extremely remote areas of the province.
He said Gansu province is now aiming to cut the illiteracy rate
below 5 percent by 2007. The central government has provided
western regions with more than 30 billion yuan (US$3.7 billion) for
education, part of which is being used to fight illiteracy. The
country also expects future generations will not be so nearly
handicapped with poor reading and writing skills as its nine-year
compulsory education program now reaches 95 percent of school-aged
children.
In Farmer Wang's town there are 12 schools offering free evening
literacy classes during farmers' slack seasons. The local
government provides textbooks, notebooks and pens free of charge, a
township official said.
There are 12 men and 31 women in Wang's class. Zhang Xiaofang
has been attending class for four years.
"My entire family support me. My husband and father-in-law take
care of my two daughters when I'm as school," said the 30-year-old
woman.
She now can read most of the captioned dialogue that appear on
every television program in China and she has no difficulty filling
out a bank form for her savings account.
Before she started taking classes she "had to ask others for
help because the form seemed like a sealed book," she said, adding
that she plans to spend two more years attending literacy
classes.
Zhang also hopes to venture to the big city someday.
(Xinhua News Agency February 24, 2006)