Zheng Long helps students to dress and look smart. [Photo/xinhuanet.com] 

At 2,900 meters above ground in Liupanshui city lies Guizhou’s highest primary school, Haiga Primary School.

At such a height, commuting to and from the school is difficult and living conditions are harsh. The school finds it difficult to retain teachers because of this, but its principle of 14 years, Zheng Long, has remained loyal to the cause of improving education there.

“My dream is to make Haiga Primary School a complete school,” said Zheng, who took the job in 2002 when there were two other teachers and 69 students. The school reached new heights (metaphorically) in 2004 when the number of students reached 106.

However, things didn’t last long. The teachers left one after the other and by 2014, only Zheng was the only remaining teacher giving classes to less than 20 students.

With no electricity and access to water at Haiga village, the school isn’t exactly the most attractive teaching post in the country – so teachers can be forgiven for not wanting to remain there for long. To fetch water, teachers and students are required to climb over the mountain in front of the school and carry water back in buckets. Food served in the village is also rudimentary as potatoes are about the only things that grow there.

Despite the hardships, Zheng never thought to give up. Since there are no roads, it takes him at least three hours on foot to reach the school from home. 

Eventually he chose to live on the mountain and commute home to his wife once a week.

“I must stay. Only if someone insists on staying here is there hope for local education,” said Zheng.

Zheng Long prints test papers for students. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]

Students attend class at Haiga Primary School, the highest in Guizhou province. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]

Zheng was eventually appointed principle of nearby Lazhai Primary School in 2014 when another teacher agreed to assume teaching responsibilities at Haiga Primary School, and he could only return to the hilltop school once a week.

“I felt very sad when I accepted this assignment,” said Zheng. “It was very frustrating to see the school go into a decline because there was nothing I could do.”

However, in a stroke of luck, Zheng got to know three young teachers at Lazhai Primary School and managed to persuade them to go to Haiga with him after finishing their tenure in Lazhai.

“Most of the people in Haiga village are living in poverty and education is their chance to get out of their impoverished situation,” Zheng told the young teachers.

At times when there haven’t been enough teachers to provide classes in Haiga, parents have to send their children to schools at the foot of the mountain, costing at least 5,000 yuan a year and causing added burden to their already strained lives.

To get more students back to the village, the teachers visited each household one by one to assure the parents that they wouldn’t leave the school in the short term, like previous teachers had done. Through their efforts, the school now has 70 students.

“Actually we don’t want to send our children to other places. The teacher’s sincerity made me decide to transfer my two boys back,” said Wen Guiquan.

The school only has enough provisions to teach grade one to four, but it hopes to set up grade five and six in the next two years, according to Zheng.

Zheng’s tireless efforts have also brought hope for local villagers. Sixty eight-year-old Wen Zhengfang has two grandsons who recently transferred back to Haiga. She said she doesn’t want the new generation to be illiterate like their parents.

“I totally agree with Principal Zheng and will support him,” Wen said.