Walking stick teacher in mountainous area

Li Zhaowen, the only teacher of a primary school in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, teaches students in November 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

After graduating from senior high school in 1978, Li, a local from Changfeng village, voluntarily worked as a teacher at a primary school in Gulitun village, not far away from Changfeng, in the mountainous area.

In 1986, on his way to meet the family of one of his students, Li broke his left leg. Due to lack of medical facilities he became handicapped and now walks with a walking stick.

In 1999, the primary school in Gulitun was merged into Changfeng primary school, and Li continued his teaching life there.

Li hardly sits down during the 40-minute lesson, but he usually uses his left hand to support his body on the desk to release the pressure on the trembling left leg.

When students have questions he walks up to them and stands by their desks to teach them over and over again until they get the point. Some students go to him to solve their problems.

"If I leave, who will teach them? The area needs me and the children need me. I will stick to teaching as long as the school exists," Li said.

He devotes himself to teaching and expects all his students to have a good future and not stay restricted to the mountainous areas.

More than 100 of his students have enrolled in high schools across the county, and some have also aced the national college entrance examination to become university students.

"Li works quietly to cultivate the students in the mountainous area. His love for the students and dedication to education is admirable," said Cheng Mengsheng, the head of Rong'an county's education bureau.