Addressing the opening ceremony of the new semester, he told the students that the day signified a new beginning in their lives, and praised them for their bravery after the quake.

"Beichuan is back on its feet. Beichuan Middle School is back on its feet ... independently, bravely, determinedly. The deadly earthquake has caused considerable damage to the people of Beichuan and teachers and students, and thrown a big challenge at us," he said.

"We now understand one fact: one should face catastrophes with courage instead of fear. (With courage one is) bound to overcome disasters and gain a new life."

Premier Wen Jiabao (2nd L) speaks during the opening of the temporary site of Beichuan Middle School located in the courtyard of the Changhong training center in Mianyang, China's quake-hit Sichuan Province, Sept. 1, 2008. A new semester started on Monday. [Xinhua Photo]

Encouraging the students to continue their fight, he said: "If you ask me what we achieved from this calamity, I'd say a brighter future. Just as the sun will always rise, the future is forever bright. A nation's disaster will always be compensated by its progress. That compensation will be achieved by relying on youths and their arduous efforts."

After admitting children from all over Beichuan's townships for months, the middle school now has about 3,100 students and 183 teachers and staff. It has waived tuition fees for all the students, and exempted the poor ones from paying boarding and food charges - or granted them concessional rates.

Premier Wen Jiabao (L front) attends the opening of the temporary site of Beichuan Middle School located in the courtyard of the Changhong training center in Mianyang, China's quake-hit Sichuan Province, Sept. 1, 2008. [Xinhua Photo]

Just like the children in the rest of the country, the 3.4 million students in Sichuan's quake-hit areas returned to school yesterday.

About 33 percent of such students resumed classes in their original school buildings, 38 percent in repaired structures and the rest in makeshift classrooms, Tu Wentao, Sichuan provincial education chief, said.

(China Daily September 2, 2008)