Success Story – Chen Xia, Principal of a rural village primary school

20 September 2024

“Education should not be based on grades” Principal Chen insists “Children need to grow up happy and exposed to diverse experiences“

Chen Xia is the Principal of a Primary school in a rural village in the Central-Eastern Chinese province of Henan. Principal Chen passionately brings ACTAsia’s Caring for Life curriculum into her school to ensure that every child receives an enriching, holistic education. 

In Eastern Dancheng County, lies the remote community of Naizhong village – a  third-tier community with a population of roughly 3,000 people. The size and rurality of Naizhong makes access to quality education in this village significantly challenging. But Principal Chen is determined to make a difference for Naizhong’s children. 

Introducing Principal Chen: an inspirational Caring for Life ambassador

Ms. Chen has been working in education for 26 years, tirelessly supporting the children who struggle most in accessing schooling. She has been working as the principal at the 60-student Naizhong Primary School for three years, where the majority of the students are left-behind children, the children of parents who have migrated from their hometown to distant cities for work, or come from single-parent families. 

Principal Chen’s work in education is marked by creativity, perseverance and resourcefulness. Throughout her long career in the teaching profession, she has faced numerous obstacles, working in rural schools where resources are scarce, and dropout rates are high. Left-behind children often lack the emotional support and care that they need, leaving them particularly vulnerable: Principal Chen observes that many of the left-behind children are quiet and have a different demeanour than their peers. She strives to fill this gap by teaching them valuable life skills, like gratitude and empathy. It is for this reason that this year, she decided to bring ACTAsia’s Caring for Life Education for Children (CFL) curriculum into her school.

When Principal Chen arrived at Naizhong Primary School in 2021, there were only 16 students. “Our smallest class was only four children,” she recalls. Teachers were struggling, and parents were losing faith in the school. Principal Chen worked swiftly and boldly. She merged the small grades into larger classes to consolidate teaching powers, and launched a campaign to boost enrolment, visiting villages and going door-to-door to promote her school. 

Principal Chen’s hard work paid off: her Primary School now serves over 100 students, including a thriving 40-child kindergarten and 60 students in grades one to four, with 10 dedicated teachers. 

Nourishing children through holistic education

Principal Chen’s vision for education reaches far beyond traditional academic and schooling styles.  Though educational resources are still limited, Principal Chen works hard to offer fulfilling and engaging educational programmes such as art, dance, calligraphy, music and classes that focus on mental health. Principal Chen herself teaches both language and writing classes twice a week. “In the countryside, most schools still teach in a ‘full-on classroom’ style, which limits children’s ability to think,” explains Ms. Chen. She goes on to say that “education should not be based on grades.” Instead, she insists, “Children need to grow up happy and exposed to diverse experiences.” 

“I hope to infuse the children with a kind of energy for their future lives, albeit with limited means, so that they can learn to take care of themselves, learn to live, learn to do, learn to be grateful and to work.

Principal Chen recognises the elevated importance of a holistic, care-based approach to education amongst a cohort of left-behind children. In a rural setting with limited parent-child connection, she observes that children can sometimes display a lack of empathy towards animals and each other. Committed to fostering a sense of connection with all living things, she teaches them about animal protection and the importance of respecting life. For example, she uses the nesting birds in the school’s trees to teach students about caring for animals. 

Accessing quality education through Caring for Life (CFL)

In 2024, ACTAsia’s Caring for Life programme has already reached over 155,000 students.

Principal Chen’s teaching philosophy and efforts echo that of ACTAsia’s Caring for Life (CFL) children’s education programme, which emphasises compassion and connection. Based on UNESCO’s Four Pillars of Education, CFL covers important issues such as social welfare, civic responsibility, animal welfare and environmental issues. The curriculum emphasises the interconnectedness and interdependence of all living things.

Last April, Principal Chen learned about ACTAsia’s Earth Day event and was excited to bring the CFL framework into her school. ACTAsia shares its Caring for Life (CFL) education resources – in the form of an Earth Day toolkit – with schools and clubs across China. The programme provides an opportunity for schools to gain exposure to the philosophy and structure of the CFL curriculum. Principal Chen discovered that ACTAsia’s Earth Day event was incredibly engaging for the students, teaching them about the value of caring for animals, people and the environmental. 

The CFL programme is crucial for schools like this school. The impact of limited resources and strained teachers can prevent some of the most vulnerable children from receiving the quality of education that they need. ACTAsia works to break through barriers faced by rural schools, by supporting more pilot schools to initiate classes, providing training, teaching materials, and facilitating exchanges between CFL schools. 

Principal Chen is now integrating the CFL programme at her school; she believes that even in the face of challenges, every child deserves the opportunity to learn and grow.

Thank you, Principal Chen, for your unwavering commitment to building a more compassionate system across China.

However, our work is never done and there are many rural schools in need of support. Your contribution can help bring CFL to more children, ensuring that they receive the quality education and emotional support they deserve.

Join us in supporting ACTAsia’s Caring for Life Programme and be a part of the compassionate movement!