School

From a positive perspective, school combination is favorable to optimize the allocation of educational resources. By removing the schools in which teachers are reluctant to give a class, and centralizing the schools in the neighboring counties or towns, the quality of education can be enhanced. School combination is more operational to realize compulsory education of rural students, comparing with running every regional school nearby to improve whole educational level of rural schools. However, there is also a significant negative influence. On the one hand, school-age children have to live in the boarding school far away from their home, since it is dangerous for children to travel a long distance to school. On the other hand, though boarding school is acceptable, children’s family education and personality education will face a series of problems, and boarding school also means that families have to bear heavier educational costs. The Jinduo Village described in this film is a typical secluded, impoverished minority village, and it usually takes one and a half hours for school-age children to go to the school in Yunli Village Committee. Besides, the children at grade3and above are required to attend school in Yunlong Township. Seemingly, this documentary records the life of children in Jinduo Village who tramp over hills to attend school, but in fact, it attempts to discuss the fact that the reform of educational system neglects the contradictions and complexities of backward regional development by current education situation.