Wang Jingli

wangjingli0715@163.com

PRIMARY and high schools in Shenzhen kicked off the new spring semester yesterday with carefully choreographed welcome ceremonies.

Amid vigorous drumming, Shenzhen Longhua Dalang Experimental School presented its returning students with a kirin dance performance. Kirin is a mythical creature known in various East Asian cultures.

A ninth-grader at the school, surnamed Su, said that the rhythmic beats filled her with the joy of embarking on a fresh term.

Two robots were seen at the entrance of Shenzhen Futian Yitian Elementary School to greet students as they arrived yesterday morning. This is the first semester that the school’s new campus is in operation.

To celebrate the Year of the Dragon, Shenzhen Institute of Education Sciences (Guangming) Experimental School designed and displayed eight information boards full of interesting knowledge about loong, or the Chinese dragon.

“We want to use the dragon culture in a fun way for the students and to send them well-wishes. More importantly, we hope they understand the culture and gain knowledge,” said Han Rong, director of the school’s course and innovation center.

Parents, too, shared enthusiasm for the new term. Many expressed relief at the prospect of having more personal time to focus on work, highlighting the balance that the return to school brings. With hopeful smiles, they voiced their expectations for their children to apply themselves diligently and achieve progress in their academic endeavors during the upcoming semester.

Prior to the commencement of classes, Shenzhen’s education authority announced plans to increase the availability of school seats by 170,000 in basic education this year. Furthermore, a new mandate ensures that all compulsory education schools integrate daily physical education classes.