Deprived students set shining examples

Financial aid

In 2011, a government-led financial aid system was introduced in China for students from preschool to postgraduate level. The system was set up in response to a government pledge not to allow any student to drop out of school because of financial difficulties.

Students undergoing nine years of compulsory education－from primary school to junior high school－are exempt from tuition fees and are provided with free textbooks.

Moreover, a multifaceted aid program has been established for college students, which includes national scholarships, grants and interest-free loans, school scholarships and grants, subsidies for students from families with financial difficulties, subsidized meals, and tuition fee reductions and exemptions.

The government has also established a "green channel" to allow college entrants in financial difficulties to register by offering interest-free loans to cover tuition and accommodations.

According to the Ministry of Education, a total of 773.9 billion yuan ($119.25 billion) was allocated to 391 million impoverished students during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20).

In 2019, financial aid for students rose for the 13th consecutive year, reaching 212.6 billion yuan－8.05 percent more than in 2018, according to the ministry.

A special program was launched by the ministry to allow universities to enroll students from rural and formerly impoverished regions who have relatively lower grades.

Some 5.14 million students from once-impoverished areas have received higher education since 2012, with 700,000 of them admitted to key universities, providing millions of poor families with the first generation to receive a college education, according to the ministry.

Psychological help

Shi Jie, who works at the financial aid center for students at Southeast University in Nanjing, Jiangsu, said that in addition to helping disadvantaged students financially, more needs to be done to care for them psychologically.

"Many students from impoverished families are shy and reserved. We constantly need to encourage them to open up more, help them build their confidence and fit in better with others, especially when they first enter university," he said.

Moreover, universities should also help the students learn skills such as computer science, music and art, Shi said, adding that the center offers free courses for them in various subjects to help them keep up with their peers.

Wang Yunyun, who works at the student financial aid center at Beijing Jiaotong University, said the school has opened a psychological hotline and offers on-site psychological counseling for students in financial difficulties.

The students often adapt to university life quickly, she said. "Compared with their peers who are better-placed financially, these students are more resilient and can handle difficulties better. You don't often hear them complain," Wang said.

Most of the disadvantaged students work hard at their studies, and many find part-time jobs while they are at school to alleviate the financial burden for their families. Many of them also perform better than others in their studies and have more chance of winning scholarships and other rewards, she said.

These students have a strong sense of responsibility and know they are the hope of their families and can bring them a better life through hard work, she added.

Zhu Lixin in Hefei contributed to this story.