Phoenix TV:
Media reports have claimed that a large number of boarding schools have been established in Xizang, and that many Tibetan children are being forced to attend these schools located far away from their families. Can you confirm if this is true? Thank you.
Xu Zhitao:
Thank you for your interest in the education situation in Xizang. According to the Compulsory Education Law of the People's Republic of China, people's governments at county level shall set up boarding schools as needed to ensure that school-age children and adolescents living in scattered areas receive compulsory education. This policy aims to ensure equal access to education for all citizens. It not only solves the problem of long travel distances and difficulties facing parents in taking care of their children, but also maximizes equal educational opportunities and promotes the fair personal development of individuals, thereby advancing the national education cause and the comprehensive development of individuals. Therefore, "boarding plus day schooling" schools have been established, not only in Xizang but also in every province in China, to cater to all school-age children. Boarding schools have become a primary form of schooling in China, especially in rural and pastoral areas. This is a natural choice based on long-term educational practices in various regions, aligning with China's basic national conditions, the geographical realities in rural and pastoral areas, and the educational needs of the people. I believe that some Chinese journalists and staff present today may have attended boarding schools and benefited from them.
As for the reports in foreign media of the so-called situation of children in Xizang being forced to attend boarding schools, I believe it is a deliberate attempt to defame and discredit us. We are well aware that in certain areas of Xizang, where the population is widely dispersed because of the high altitude, it is particularly inconvenient for children, and especially those from herding communities, to commute to school. The scattered nature of these communities makes it challenging to ensure an adequate number of teachers and maintain teaching quality. Therefore, the establishment of "boarding plus day schooling" schools is necessary to guarantee children's right to education and ensure equal access to high-quality educational resources. In Xizang's boarding schools, a "three guarantees" policy has been implemented, which covers the costs of meals, housing and tuition. The region places great importance on involving students' families in school education by inviting parents to participate in the management and planning of boarding life through parent committees and open days. The choice to attend boarding or day schools is made entirely by the students and their parents.
China's boarding school system education is fundamentally different from the "colonial-era residential schools" established by some Western countries in the last century. China's boarding education is diverse, humane and dynamic. It serves as a positive means to advance the education sector and improve accessibility to education. It fully embodies the public welfare nature of education and strives to meet the people's demand for quality educational resources. Boarding schools provide an excellent learning and growth environment for children, particularly those in remote areas, and serve as a "golden key" for them to pursue better lives. Thank you.
