In 2024, students at the Seni No. 2 Primary School of Naqu City were learning computer knowledge.

In the 1980s, students at the Nagqu County (Seni District) Complete Primary School gathered around a stove for their classes. (Photo provided by the Publicity Department of Seni District, Nagqu City )

As the Party branch secretary of Nagqu No. 3 Kindergarten, Tenzin has dedicated over 31 years to the education system in northern Xizang's Changthang area. Recalling classrooms from the 1970s, Tenzin couldn't help but remark with emotion, "back then, children traced Chinese characters on mud walls using textbooks that were mimeographed hand-copied versions, their edges frayed and curled from being carried in Tibetan robes. Now, classrooms are spacious and bright, equipped with sports fields, laboratories, and libraries. The changes of the past 60 years are hidden within the children's classrooms."

An old photograph shows students gathered around a stove in a classroom. From the initial rudimentary school buildings to today's modern intelligent teaching equipment, and from mimeographed hand-copied textbooks to a rich array of electronic educational materials, each advancement in education has witnessed the evolution of the times and societal progress. What has changed is the continuous improvement of educational infrastructure, while what remains constant is the children's thirst for knowledge.

Over the past six decades, Seni District (formerly Nagqu County) in Nagqu City has grown from three mud-walled classrooms to now boasting 84 schools, with 1,723 officially enrolled teachers and 22,397 students. The upgraded "Three Guarantees Policy" ensures that students receive nutritious lunches daily, complete with eggs and fresh vegetables, while aid-Xizang efforts have brought the "dual-teacher classroom" model from Hangzhou Hailiang Middle School directly to the grasslands.

"In recent years, Seni District's education sector has undergone tremendous transformations," said Luojia, a former student of Tenzin, who has been teaching at the Seni No. 4 Primary School for 16 years and now serves as its vice principal. Over these 16 years, Luojia has witnessed the school's metamorphosis from "nothing" to "something" and then to "excellence".

Seni No. 2 Middle School, affectionately known as "Seni Hangjia Middle School", was built in 2017 with funds raised through aid-Xizang efforts from Hangzhou and Jiaxing. Today, the school stands as both a testament to Seni District's educational development and a symbol of ethnic unity in the region.

"The plastic sports field and indoor gymnasium allow us to have physical education classes even on rainy days," said Tsering Tsomo, a student at the Seni Hangjia Middle School. At this very moment, over 3,000 students like Tsering Tsomo are transforming their destinies through advanced educational models at the school.

Data shows that the enrollment rate for compulsory education in Seni District has reached 99.91%, making it the first county (district) in Nagqu City to pass the national assessment for universal and equitable education. From mud-walled classrooms to smart campuses, and from "difficulty in accessing education" to "access to quality education", the 60-year development of education in Seni District serves as a vivid microcosm of educational progress across Xizang.

In Seni District, countless educators like Tenzin and Luojia are engaged in an unbroken relay race of education, passing on the torch of learning with unwavering passion, generation after generation, illuminating the future paths of countless children.

Reporter: Wu Xiaocong, Zhao Shubin

Translator: Zhi Xinghua

Review: Phurbu Tsering, Dong Xiuli