Air-conditioning only for honors students

Only students in honors classes can study in classrooms fitted with air-conditioning systems at a local school in Shenzhen, Guangzhou Daily reported Tuesday.

Shenzhen Binhe Middle and High School has 11 classes for 10th-graders, and four of them are "honors classes". The newspaper reported that classrooms for regular classes are fitted only with fans, while those of honors classes are equipped with air-conditioning.

"The best one of the four honors classes has four air-conditioning systems in its classroom," a student, whose alias is A Ping, told the newspaper.

At the Binhe school, students with good scores on the High School Entrance Examination study in honors classes, which is a common practice in China. School authorities usually assign experienced and competent teachers for honors classes, and those elite students are expected to enroll at renowned universities in the country.

A Ping said students in regular classes want to buy air-conditioning with their own money, as it is getting hotter. But their request was denied by school authorities, even when the students offered to pay for the electricity.

The electricity in honors classes is paid for by the school, according to the newspaper.

"The school has a plan to teach students in accordance with their aptitude. It is not appropriate to allow students to buy air-conditioning for themselves. We may be put under investigation by education authorities if we allow such a practice," Binhe school's director of executive office Zhou Yanbin said when asked to comment.

A teacher surnamed Li, who teaches a regular class, said it is not a good idea to offer students whatever they want and they should learn to overcome difficulties in terms of the hot weather.

However, some parents seem to have a different opinion.

"I have heard the news. I think the school should treat all the students equally. Students in honors classes should not be given special treatment," a parent who did not give his name told Guangzhou Daily.