A rural Chinese primary school built with charity money has been torn down to make way for a US$1.6 billion "international resort", according to media reports. The school, which mainly served children from farming families in Yanling county, Hunan province, was built less than two years ago. The 900,000 yuan (HK$1.14 million) building was funded by Project Hope, a charity which promotes educational projects in China's poorest areas. The school's 28 students now attend classes in prefabricated structures (above) close to the rubble of their former campus. A mainland newspaper quoted Yanling county officials as saying that the site will soon be home to the "Shennong Valley International Cultural Tourism Resort", worth an estimated 10 billion yuan. The internet community condemned the school's demolition. "Hope gives way to demolition; education gives way to corruption," one user is quoted as saying. "Why was it necessary to demolish a school that was beloved by ordinary people? Tourism and [stimulating] the economy is fine, but by all means, don't get rid of 'Hope'," another says.
The University of Science and Technology has received a HK$20 million donation from the Li Ka-shing Foundation to support its initiatives to nurture globally aware and creative young leaders. These include international research opportunities, entrepreneurship projects, community engagement and other development activities. HKUST (above) will also apply for a government grant under the Matching Grant Scheme to benefit more students. The Li Ka-shing Foundation recently sponsored a joint venture between the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology and Shantou University to open the Technion Guangdong Institute of Technology. The institute is seeking to become a hi-tech powerhouse to drive forward development in the province.
The first virtual fair promoting French education kicks off on Wednesday, with visitors able to "walk through" exhibition halls and chat with French academics and alumni of prestigious institutions - all while sitting in front of the computer at home. Organised by the consul-general of France, registration for the three-day online event is free, with exhibitors from business, engineering and culinary schools. For details, visit
studyinfrance.hk
