Over the last few days, while interviewing in rural areas in southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, it is found that many village families including low income families are producing university students, with some of them have studied in inland Tibet classes (at junior high and high school level).
Before the peaceful liberation in 1951, Tibet didn’t have a school in the modern sense and illiteracy rates among young people were as high as 95%. Starting in 1985, Tibet junior high school classes were opened in China’s 16 provincial regions, and the first group of 1,300 students were chosen and sent to study inland.
Over the past 30 years inland Tibet classes have accumulated more than 38,000 talented students at secondary school level or above; 95% of these students return to Tibet to work, becoming a vital force for Tibet’s development. There are currently 21 provinces and municipalities with Tibet classes (schools) across the country and nearly 30,000 students.
This year, 1,720 students enrolled in inland Tibet classes (schools) at junior high school level, of which 70% are the children of farmers and herdsmen.
