Rural Revitalization, Education Comes First

On December 15th, the 2021 Student Social Studies Summary Conference of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) was successfully held in Chen Ruiqiu Building. The summer social studies team of the School of Education (SOE) stood out among hundreds of teams. Not only did the SOE’s team win the Grand Prize for Summer Social Studies of SJTU, but also was named "National Best Team" in the activity of "Finding the National Top 100 Summer Social Studies Teams of University Students".

Lin Jie, leader of the SOE’s team, receiving the award

SOE winning the National Best Team

Grand Prize for Summer Social Studies of SJTU

The SOE’s team was also commended as one of the "National and Municipal Honors" in the "Power of Role Model" in the 2021 Outstanding Student Conference of SJTU.

The SOE’s team was awarded at the conference

The SOE's team went to the rural areas of Yunnan and the ones inhabited by ethnic minorities, researched on the development of basic education in the western part of China, and put forward targeted policy advice and suggestions. The team also visited the National Southwestern Associated University, one of the top universities in modern China, in memory of the prominent Chinese scholars, and Zhang Guimei, Principal of Huaping High School for Girls, listening to her stories as a fighter for girls' education dreams in rural China.

Team members at the National Southwestern Associated University

Principal Zhang Guimei welcoming the SOE’s team

Team members with Principal Zhang Guimei

Under the guidance of our faculty, members of team distributed nearly 1,000 questionnaires to several local primary and secondary schools, conducted one-on-one interviews with local teachers and focus group interviews with school leaders, and visited local farmers, aiming to chart the development of basic education in the local area. The research results supported the major consulting projects of academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and also provided important empirical research data for the research work of the China Association for Science and Technology in the western rural areas. At the same time, the SOE’s team continued the 14-year public service of supporting education in Chuxiong Primary School, carried out teaching activities in Dayiji Nationality Primary School, and explored to partner with local community for a bilateral long-term cooperation.

The team visiting local farmers

The team member teaching at a local school

Interview with a local teacher

This is the first summer social studies activity since SOE was established. With the unremitting efforts of all members, the team has not only won the Grand Prize of 2021 SJTU Student Summer Social Studies, but also shined in the national college students' social studies activities and was selected as one of the top ten national best teams in the country. In the future, the School of Education will make persistent efforts to serve the development of national basic education and continue to tell the story of SJTU's education support!