STORY: Night schools trending among Chinese youth
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 19, 2024
DATELINE: Jan. 20, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:37
LOCATION: JINAN/QINGDAO/WUHAN, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY/CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of a night school in Jinan City
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHANG BAOYUE, Student at night school in Jinan
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHANG YINGXIN, Student at night school in Jinan
4. various of a night school in Qingdao City
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): LI XIAOJUAN, Student at night school in Qingdao
6. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): ZHANG QUNYUAN, Teacher at the Linka night school in Qingdao
7. various of a night school in Wuhan City
8. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): DING SIYU, Student at night school in Wuhan
9. SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): HE XIANG, Calligraphy teacher at night school in Wuhan

STORYLINE:

For many youngsters in China, working during the day and taking school classes at night are becoming a new way of life.

With relatively low or zero price, interest-oriented curricula, and increasingly fine-tuning culture services, night schools, a teaching mode that has lain idle for many years in China, regain vitality.

Different from the examination-oriented curricula, night schools provide diverse courses, such as musical instruments, dancing, vocal training, wine tasting, vlog filming and handicrafts making.
   
At the night school initiated by the City Library of Jinan in east China's Shandong Province, a wide range of courses for individuals aged from 18 to 55 are offered at a reasonable price of 20-40 yuan (2.8-5.6 U.S. Dollars) per lesson.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHANG BAOYUE, Student at night school in Jinan
"The entire process of learning foil printing is very interesting, especially when I finish my work, I will feel a strong sense of accomplishment. This is a good leisure activity and also a good way to relax."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHANG YINGXIN, Student at night school in Jinan
"I came across the chance to attend the night school via social media. I felt it was a great opportunity and immediately registered for the course, just like snapping up during a shopping extravaganza."

In the coastal city of Qingdao, a cafe during the day has been turned into a night school, offering courses including wine tasting and mixology, coffee making, and even video editing.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): LI XIAOJUAN, Student at night school in Qingdao
"The course I am taking is about mixology. I hope to learn new things through this class, and also, try to make new friends here to enrich my social life."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): ZHANG QUNYUAN, Teacher at the Linka night school in Qingdao
"My students come from different professions. Some are looking to make more income through developing a side business or just get interested in this field, and some make use of the classes to help them seek a new career."

At the night school, courses related to traditional cultures are also popular among young Chinese.

In central China's Wuhan City, a series of public classes have been organized by the government to let young citizens experience Chinese calligraphy and traditional painting.

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): DING SIYU, Student at night school in Wuhan
"Chinese calligraphy carries a long history. It has been passed down to us for thousands of years. Each stroke I make on the paper feels as though thousands of years of wisdom has converged at the tip of the brush. I think this wisdom must be inherited by people of our generation."

SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): HE XIANG, Calligraphy teacher at night school in Wuhan
"I hope that more young people can find inner peace through activities like reading, writing and drawing during the hustle and bustle of urban life, experiencing the beauty of life."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Jinan, Qingdao and Wuhan.
(XHTV)