Teachers face number of hurdles in rural areas

On school day afternoons, Shu gives three math lessons, while in the mornings, a colleague gives three lessons in Chinese-language studies.

The school has 18 teachers for its 172 students, who come from four nearby villages.

The school, set in the midst of golden rapeseed flowers and verdant crops, is some distance from locals' homes and is connected by road to the nearest village about 1 kilometer away.

Shu has been home only twice to collect fresh clothing－in January and early February－spending the remainder of his time on campus. He has taught at the school since the fall semester in 2017, after being transferred from another rural elementary school in Juwan.

He became a village teacher in Juwan in 2013, after graduating from college and serving in the army for two years.

"As a young single man, there is not much to do at home under the lockdown, so I would rather stay here and work. I don't feel scared or lonely－I have a full day's work and time flies," he said.

Every few days, Shu holds video chats with parents who live in the nearby county seat. The headmaster often visits the school and leaves food at the gate. Sometimes, the pair talk on either side of the gate, observing social distancing.

Shu is keeping busy with his teaching job and his other roles. He and other teachers at rural schools spend a great deal of time adapting to online education, which is especially challenging for older members of staff.