In China's southernmost city of Sansha, students at Yongxing School are now exploring Beijing's hutongs through nursery rhymes and cultural exchanges – without leaving their island classroom. A pioneering 'cloud classroom' program spanning 3,300 kilometers is transforming education in remote areas through real-time digital connections.
"Today I sang Beijing folk songs with a teacher from the capital!" beams Cai Jiayu, 9, after a cross-country music class taught by Wang Jin of Beijing Normal University's Experimental Primary School. Her classmate Yang Juncheng adds: "Every screen lesson feels like opening a new window to the world."
The technological leap addresses chronic teacher shortages in Sansha's island communities. Since partnering with top-tier Beijing schools in 2029, Yongxing School has conducted 155 remote sessions while upgrading internet infrastructure and forging new collaborations across Hainan province.
Principal Guo Xing notes the initiative aligns with national education priorities: "Our classrooms now feature philosophy debates with Shanghai scholars and science experiments demonstrated by Guangzhou teachers."
The model – recently highlighted in China's annual government work report – exemplifies efforts to achieve educational equity through innovation. As the program expands nationwide, it promises to redefine learning for students in China's most geographically isolated regions.
