When He Shun broke his leg seven years ago at the age of three his parents never expected that one day he could join others in jumping a rope.

 

 

He Shun plays happily with his friends.

 

But at a remote rural primary school in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region the boy, still confined to a wheelchair, now plays happily with rope and balls.

 

"I'm not able to jump but I can help swing the rope for my classmates and I love playing balls," He said while still sweating from playing. Surprisingly he said his favorite class is sports something that normally requires a physical ability.

 

Every day He's classmates walk to school with him and help push his wheelchair, teachers often ask him to answer questions in class but allow him to remain seated and he's the only one allowed to go to the toilet during class a rare privilege.

 

Although it has poor facilities and lacks any special amenities for the handicapped He loves going to school. "The school is becoming lovelier and I feel happy," he said. His smile shows he is like every other normal boy and behind that smile stand friendly classmates, teachers and a school.

 

It wasn't that way till the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) included Zhai Zhun School in its child-friendly school program which was first tested in China in 2000.

 

Since the school joined the program two years ago changes have taken place. Instead of articles 1 to 10 of comprehensive school regulations and various slogans, children now see pictures painted by themselves on the walls including sunshine, houses, flowers, monkeys, roosters, dogs and cats.

 

The first class doesn't start until 9:30 AM but it used to be at 8:30 AM because headmaster He Minghua feels children should have more time to sleep in the morning.

 

Teachers go to the children's homes much more often to talk to parents and encourage youngsters to be friendlier to one another, more active and think independently in class.

 

Teachers even receive feedback from their pupils. One suggestion was for teachers to ask for children's opinions about where to go for class outings. Others said teachers should chat with children and know what they like and dislike and control their emotions and temper.

 

A major part of UNICEF's involvement is teachers' training. At another rural school in Guangxi also in the program 15-year-old Cao Xiaoyan wrote a composition for her homework entitled "I've Become More Confident."

 

Cao's family is poor and that kept her from school until last year when teachers repeatedly visited her home and offered help.

 

Her teacher, Liang Jinli, said the school had offered to waive all the tuition and book fees but the family still couldn't afford the 1 yuan (13 US cents) daily expense.

 

"So we let her stay home," Liang said. "But after I received the UNICEF training I realized that it's also the teachers' responsibility to make sure that each child goes to school. We visited her home again and offered her financial help personally."

 

(China Daily November 27, 2006)