Bonding over Education: Students from China and Myanmar attend same school near border

World
Europe

03:07

Languages and borders may divide countries, but it doesn't always separate people. In a southern Chinese village, elementary students from China and Myanmar share the same resources. As the two cultures work together, their bonds are growing stronger. CGTN's Yang Jinghao has more.

This little girl from Myanmar travels abroad every day. Passing through the immigration checkpoint near her home conveniently, the 11-year-old, who goes by the Chinese name Jie En, goes to school in a Chinese village.

JIE EN STUDENT FROM MYANMAR "I love studying at this school, because the campus is beautiful. Besides, I can learn different things and play with many friends here."

Located in the border city of Ruili in southwest China's Yunnan Province, the Yinjing Elementary School has more than 30 students from neighboring Myanmar towns, accounting for about 30 percent of the total.

YANG JINGHAO RUILI, YUNNAN PROVINCE "The students are doing routine exercise during class break. Those in green are from Myanmar. Though the children from the two countries dress differently, they receive the same education and enjoy equal treatment here."

Just like their Chinese peers, the children from Myanmar don't need to pay any tuition fees and are provided with free breakfasts and other assistance. In fact, despite the different nationalities, most of the students share the same ethnic origin of Dai. So, besides the regular curriculum, the school also offers special courses related to that ethnicity.

SUN JIALIANG, PRINCIPAL YINJING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL "We set up a course to teach them Chinese, Myanmar and Dai languages with our own textbooks, to promote mutual understanding and cultivate friendships from an early age."

Jie En's mother is also looking for opportunities in China. She runs a small restaurant near the school. Like many other parents, she is thinking about her daughter's long-term future.

JIE EN'S MOTHER "My home is close to China. We send her to this school, with the hope that she can gain more knowledge here, and work or do business in China in the future."

The city of Ruili hosts some 50 thousand workers and students from Myanmar, who are trying to better integrate into the local communities. Education, undoubtedly, has become an important tool in bridging the gaps between the two peoples.

SUN JIALIANG, PRINCIPAL YINJING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL "I believe the students from Myanmar are sure to better understand their country, China and the whole world with knowledge absorbed here, and contribute to the friendships for generations to come."

As the school's mission goes, education has no borders, and love shortens distances. YJH, CGTN, Ruili, Yunnan Province.