The China Overseas Three Gorges Primary School in Yunyang county, of Chongqing, on Aug 26. The luxury school was built with a donation of 3.5 million yuan ($512,250) from a Hong Kong-based company.[Asianewsphoto]

   

China's netizens have laid siege to a luxury primary school built with charity money to resemble a European chateau.

The China Overseas Three Gorges Primary School, built with a donation of 3.5 million yuan ($512,250) from a Hong Kong-based company, opened in Yunyang county, of Chongqing, on Wednesday.

However, its chateau-style appearance -- including a steepled roof tower and corner turret -- and first-class educational facilities have drawn strong criticism in online forums for their extravagance.

In an online poll on sohu.com, about 8,400 netizens expressed disapproval while more than 4,100 supported it as of 9 pm Thursday.

"What a waste. The money is enough to build 17 normal schools," said a comment from "WS_dsd".

"This is completely unnecessary as many other children have no place to study at," said a posting from Guangdong.

"We need to invest more in teaching quality instead of fancy buildings," said another posting from Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

"I wish for more high quality schools in the rural area so that kids in the countryside can have education conditions equal to those in the cities", said "rammpp."

However, the 531 students were delighted by their new school, which overlooks the Yangtze River and sits by a 1,700-year-old temple.

"It's so beautiful. I want to draw the great river, the temple, the trees and hills, our school and everything," sixth grader Liu Chao was quoted as saying by Chongqing Evening News.

"I used to walk hours along mountain road to get to the school. Now I can live in the school," fourth grader Ran Haiyan told the newspaper.

The parents pay just 30 yuan a year for books for their children. School accommodation costs 1,400 a year, or 8 yuan a day.

"We want to provide the best for the children," said Zhang Shenming, of China Overseas Group, which donated the money for the school.