A Top Chinese University Reaches Out to Migrant Workers.docx

A Top Chinese University Reaches Out to Migrant Workers.docx

《A Top Chinese University Reaches Out to Migrant Workers.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《A Top Chinese University Reaches Out to Migrant Workers.docx（5页珍藏版）》请在冰点文库上搜索。

ATopChineseUniversityReachesOuttoMigrantWorkers

ATopChineseUniversityReachesOuttoMigrantWorkers

OnMarch6,2009,theCommonSchoolofPekingUniversity,oneofChina’smostprestigiousinstitutesofhighereducation,commenceditsfourthsession.Overthecourseofsixmonths102membersoftheuniversity’ssubsidiarystaff,suchaschefsandguards,willtakeclassescoveringeverythingfromvocationaltrainingtosocialetiquette.

Theschool,runningunderthelogo“promotingthenotionofequalityandfulfillingcommoners’dreams,”isintendedtoexploreanewmodeofeducationformigrantworkers,whosenumbershavereachedhundredsofmillionsacrossthenation.

ProvidingGeneralEducation

Similarprogramsweretakingplaceasearlyas91yearsagoatPekingUniversity.In1918thethen-universitypresidentCaiYuanpeifoundedanightclassforschoollaborers.Itwasfollowedbyaschoolandalecturegroupforsubsidiarystaffdoingoddjobs,sponsoredbyuniversitystudents,whowereardentaboutimprovingthelearningandarousingtheconsciousnessofthepopulace.

ThePKUCommonSchoolhasdisparatepurposes.Itwasinfactstartedasaresearchprojectoncontinuingeducationformigrantworkersfromruralareasbytheuniversity’sGraduateSchoolofEducation.

“Wefoundinourstudythatthesepeoplehaveahardtimefittingintourbancultureandliving.Akeyreasonisalackofschoolingandtraining,”saidProf.DingXiaohao.

Theuniversityhasabigcommunityofapproximately3,000migrantlaborers.Thetradeunionhasbeenexploringwaystobetterservethem,sotheprojectprofessorsandunionleaderssoonsensedachanceforfruitfulcooperation.InSeptember2006thefirstsessionofthecommonschoolwasinaugurated,withanenrollmentof53.

Theinitialcurriculumincludedsocialinteraction,psychologicalhealth,sharingandtolerance,aswellasbasiccomputerskillsandEnglish.Inresponsetoparticipants’feedback反馈,itlatertiltedmoretowardsthefirstthreeareas.

AccordingtoProf.Ding,migrantworkersfromruralareasoftenadheretoruralconventionsandhabitsaftermovingtothecity,whichoftencreatesculturalclashes.

Leavingbehindfamilymembersandconnections,thesepeoplearestrangerstothecitiestheyworkin,andfaceapainfulacclimatizationtourbancircumstances.Someguidancemakesthisprocessshorterandeasier.

Theschoolhasnowaddedanotherclass:

healthysex.Thisisaboldmoveinalargelyconservativesociety.SunLi,deputyprincipaloftheschoolandvicechairwomanoftheuniversity’stradeunion,isawareoftheneedsofherstudents.“Mostofthemigrantworkersintheuniversityaresingleintheirtwenties.Betterknowledgeofsexisimportanttothem.”

HigherLearningResourcesPlusVolunteers

Prof.DingXiaohaoandothermembersofherresearchprojectconductedasurveyamongthemigrantworkersatPekingUniversitybeforelaunchingtheCommonSchool.Theresultsshowedthatthe3,000orsolaborershaveanaverageageof26.8years,and76percenthavesixyearsorlessschooling.Themajorityareawareofthegapbetweentheirprofessionalskillsandmarketdemands,butbalkatfurthereducationortrainingbecauseoflimitedtime（68.5percent）andtheexorbitantcostsinvolved（46.5percent）.

Prof.Dingbelievesthatuniversities,withalargepoolofqualifiedvolunteersamongstaffmembersandstudents,andrichresourcesintermsofclassroomsandteachingfacilities,canplayaconstructiveroleinthefurthereducationofmigrantworkers.

Some30teachersfromtheGraduateSchoolofEducationteachintheCommonSchool,assistedby40to50studentsineachsession.XuChunbin,aLawSchooljunior,hasvolunteeredintheCommonSchoolsinceitsopeningin2006.“Studentsarepassionateaboutbeingvolunteers.Forthefourthsessionwereceivedmorethan100applicationsfor40posts.”

ForthefirstthreesessionsXuassistedwithEnglishteachingandafter-schoolactivities.Nowheisinchargeofvolunteermanagement.“TheexperiencehashelpedmeunderstandthemeaningofConfucius’saying‘teachingwithoutdistinction’,”Xusaid.“Educationistherightofall.WhatwearedoingintheCommonSchoolisimpartingthisideatomoremigrantworkers.”

Prof.Dingstressesthatthefacultyshouldshowduerespectforagroupwithanaverageageof26butatleastfiveyearsworkexperienceeach.“Throughourclassesandthroughcontactwithteachersandvolunteers,ourstudentsareexpectedtoexpandtheirsocialcircles,toactivatethepositivesideoftheirmind,andeventuallyachieveselfimprovement.”

Prof.DingbelievestheCommonSchoolwillbringchangesnotonlytoitsstudents,butalsopeoplearoundthem.“Ithasarippleeffect.Ourstudentswillpassknowledgetotheiracquaintances,andignitethedesiretostudyinothers.”

ThecurriculumofthePKUCommonSchoolhasbeenmadeintoavideobyChinaEducationTelevision（CETV）,andisavailableonlinefreeofcharge.

ALongWaytoGo

“AtthebeginningoftheCommonSchoolmanyemployershadnoideaoftheeffectsonmigrantworkers,andsomeworriedaboutrisesinlabordisputesoncemigrantworkersbecamebetterawareoftheirrights,”recalledSunLi,theschool’sdeputyprincipal.“Aftertwosessionsourtraineesreportedbetterperformanceattheirjobs,andmanywereelectedmodelworkers.”

CaoZhigang,ahiredhandattheuniversity’sdiningcenter,acknowledgedthatsomeemployersthinkignorantworkersaremoredocile.“Infactitisinbothparties’intereststhatbothsidesknowtheirrightsandobligations,andcanresorttonegotiationsincaseofdisputes.”The39-year-oldattendedthefirstsessionoftheCommonSchool,andhassinceattendedclassesregularly.“Thebiggestchangehasbeeninside.Itchangesthewayyouviewtheworldandgetalongwithotherpeople.”Forinstance,afteraclassonenvironmentalprotection,hebegantonoticesomethingsaroundhimthathepreviouslyignored,andhassinceparticipatedintheannualvolunteercleanupcampaignoncampus.

AccordingtoasurveyamongtheCommonSchooltrainees,themostlovedclassesareonsocialintercourseskills（81percent）,careerplanning（79percent）andremainingupbeat（71percent）.Englishandcomputertrainingareratedlower.

Prof.Ding,whoparticipatedinthedesignofcurriculums,explainedthatthelessonsarenotmeanttoimpartprofoundlearning,butinsteadinstillthefundamentalvaluesandconceptsrequiredbyeverycitizen.“Eachelement,whetherit’salecture,discussionorgroupactivity,isdevisedtofosterself-confidenceandasenseofbelongingamongourstudents.”

DeputyPrincipalSunLiwasimpressedwiththeeagernessofmigrantworkerstocooperate.“Weprovidetrainingtocollegestudentsofvariousgrades,butnoclassesaresoferventlyreceivedasthoseformigrantworkers.Theyshowastrongdesiretobeadmittedtocitylife,andtobeacceptedandcaredabout.”

DespitethepopularityoftheCommonSchool,theprogramhasyettocatchonatotheruniversitiesinthewaytheorganizershadoriginallyanticipated.“Itrequiresahugeinputoftime,energyandmoney,”SunLiconcedes.“Itisgoodtoadmitmorepeople.ButourcurrentcapacitycanbarelymeettheneedsofmigrantworkersatPekingUniversity.Thetotalenrollmentspaceforthefoursessionsoftheschoolisonly300orso.”Duetopressureonavailablespaces,forthemomenttheschoolhasnoplanstoopentomigrantworkersoutsidetheuniversity.Despiteitslimitedambit,theschoolisoneofthemanyencouragingsignsofgrowingconcernaboutahugecommunityplayingacrucialroleinChina’sdevelopment.