Episode 21 recap: The Entire Village of Gouxi Village Agrees to Relocate to Shishi Zhong
In Episode 21, An Yan discusses future teaching strategies with the teachers. To boost enrollment, they decide to form groups, with Teacher Wu drafting the admissions brochure. They also plan to implement a scholarship system modeled after universities, offering rewards for outstanding academic performance to attract students.
Meanwhile, An Yan and Pei Qiu Yun visit Ding Ye's home, as he has a strong chance of getting into a prestigious university. They encourage him to attend Shishi Zhong and promise him special tutoring. On the other side, Cong Jun Sheng and Principal Zhou visit local families to encourage more students to stay in rural schools.
They analyze the educational differences between urban and rural settings. Some parents wish for their children to move to the city, while some students prefer to stay in the countryside. Fang Xiang is puzzled by the aggressive recruitment efforts, prompting Principal Wang to explain that there is a critical ratio between teachers and students; fewer students mean fewer resources for the school.
After a long day, Principal Zhou has only managed to recruit a few students. He consults with Secretary Zhang and learns that many parents are willing to work on construction sites to afford city schooling for their children. Ding Ye's mother takes An Yan's teaching proposal to Dansha School, but discovers that the school has no such policy. Desperate to get her son into Teacher Wang's class, she offers a substantial donation.
Principal Zhou is extremely displeased with Ding Ye's mother’s actions and instructs Director Chen to return the donation. When Director Chen visits Ding Ye's home, An Yan also arrives and publicly promises free English tutoring for Ding Ye. His mother quickly decides to enroll him in Shishi Zhong. The recruitment efforts have been exhausting, so An Yan hosts a banquet to thank everyone.
During this recruitment period, many parents ask about special classes. An Yan expresses that special classes are not ideal, insisting on inclusive education that promotes overall development, even for students from less prestigious schools.
Cong Jun Sheng visits the construction site and feels empathy for the students in such a noisy environment. He advises parents to return to the village, but they prefer to keep moving around rather than separate from their children. The children express their reluctance to leave their parents.
Seeing Jie Yu and her brother happily skipping rope at the site, Cong Jun Sheng understands the children's attachment to their parents. He decides not to try to keep the children who want to go to the city, but instead focuses on the children who remain, assuring parents that they can trust the school with their kids.
Zhang Nan brings An Yan to meet Geng Yi Ming, where An Yan proposes transferring the management rights of the swimming pool to him, with plans to return it to the school in a few years. They reach an agreement, and the new school also successfully passes inspection, bringing double joy.
Fang Xiang learns valuable moral education strategies from Cong Jun Sheng and reports back to An Yan. Principal Zhou prepares a bag of money for Cong Jun Sheng to use at social gatherings, which he finds distasteful. Principal Zhou updates Secretary Shi on recent visits, and while her proposal gains approval, it raises broader concerns that will need to be discussed in detail later.
An Yan addresses the villagers' concerns about the school's issues, even arranging for a swimming coach to teach the children proper techniques. After a presentation with a PowerPoint, the villagers are very satisfied and eager to enroll. Additionally, some job openings at the school and its supermarket are offered to villagers, who can also establish a community garden on campus to work alongside their children during holidays.
Secretary Shi has a special affection for Heping Middle School and hopes to maintain high teaching standards. She suggests that ideally, the entire class should be transferred to the middle school, as parents often prioritize graduation rates while neglecting foundational education in elementary school. After Secretary Shi's insightful analysis, Cong Jun Sheng and the others feel reenergized.
After dinner, Principal Zhou hands an envelope to Principal Hu, but Hu refuses it angrily, expressing dissatisfaction with Zhou's actions, highlighting the challenges within the educational sector.
Comments(Episode 21)