Two prestigious local schools signed a strategic cooperation agreement on Sunday, with plans to develop an integrated curriculum and coordinated Chinese and English reading projects. They will also cooperate in future student recruitment.

The agreement signing ceremony between Vanke Meisha Academy and Sinolink Primary School was witnessed by representatives from both schools and local media, emceed by Wu Ningxin, a Chinese language teacher with the Meisha academy.

Wang He, principal of the Meisha academy, an international school based in Yantian District, praised Sinolink for its quality and elite education efforts in the past 22 years, and said his school looks forward to future cooperation.

Xiong Youping, headmaster of Sinolink, also praised the Meisha academy for its efforts in cultivating “future leaders with a global perspective.”

The heads of the two schools said they share similar beliefs in cultivating the young, which has given them the motive to cooperate.

Sinolink, a leading private primary school in Shenzhen, has established its reputation for quality education, especially in its sport education and reading projects. For the past 10 years, the school has implemented a learner-centered reading syllabus, helping students to raise question, do research, and write essays surrounding the books they read.

Wang, previously a teacher with Shenzhen Middle School, said the Meisha academy will cooperate with Sinolink to compile a reading syllabus for junior and senior high students, and carry on the reading tradition in his school.

“Both schools have taken into perspective an international education for their students in the future,” Xiong said. “However, the basis of a successful international education lies in the teaching of the Chinese language, which will help students to train their abilities in comprehension, communication and logic thinking.” Xiong said the most important part of their cooperation would be building an integrated Chinese syllabus and an evaluation system of students’ Chinese capabilities. (Debra Li)