Society
New school to be torn down soon
By Xie Yu in Fuzhou and Wang Jingqiong in Beijing (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-27 08:03
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Local government officials plan to build central business district
A newly-built primary school will be torn down to create space for a central business district in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province, leaving nearly 1,000 students and teachers with no school.
Xiangban school, located in the Taijiang district of the city, cost almost 15 million yuan ($2.2 million) before it opened in September 2008. It looks brand new even now, residents say.
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The five-story school is located in a tranquil residential area. With the pleasant smell of sweet-scented osmanthus and neat synthetic surface track, it is very peaceful and quiet, locals say.
However, two months later, this area, including this school, 111 homes, and some factory buildings will be torn down to make way for a new central business district (CBD) being designed by local government officials.
An official from the municipal government who would not give his name confirmed the plan and said developers might use the school building as an office for all the "important constructions" until the new district is built.
"This district, along the river, has a very good natural environment with lots of resources," he said. "We are changing it into a commercial center so that more companies and employees can enjoy the resources and develop the local economy, instead of just letting the very few residents here enjoy all the advantages."
He said the plan was decided in May last year, while the school construction started as early as 2005.
Sun said the local education bureau told him that the next semester, beginning in March, all the teachers and the 836 students will have to move to a building at Minjiang University, which is 10 minutes walking distance from their school. "But we do not know when we will have our own campus again," Sun said.
Lin, a Chinese teacher from the school who preferred not to be named, said, "The whole school, both teachers and students, were heartbroken when we heard the order."
Lin said the students spent nearly two years in pre-fabricated housing during the construction of the new school.
"It was very hot and stuffy in the summer in the pre-fabricated housesFinally we moved into the new building, and we really enjoy the good conditions here but now we have to leave after just one semester," he said.
Lin's son is a fifth-grade student at the school. She said the school has held several meetings with parents, but no one agrees with the move.
"Anyway, my son is going to graduate in one year, but I am still strongly against the decision as it is a large waste to the nation," she said, referring to the money spent.
"If you count the equipments and furnishings, the cost would surely surpass 15 million yuan," she said. "Besides, it was just finished in late 2008. Why can't the government do better planning? Are they joking?" she said.
Xie Yuxin, 7 years old, just finished her first semester in the primary school.
She said she likes the school very much, especially the playground, which is close to her home. She said it will be "troublesome" to move to Minjiang University in March.
Yesterday outside the school gate, parents gathered when they saw reporters. They spoke of their wishes for a stable learning place for their children, and also permanent homes for families in the area.
Most of the 111 homes to be torn down were built within the past 10 or even five years, and residents complain that the compensation could not possibly cover their losses.
"We tried to appeal to the central government for help, but we were controlled by the liaison office of Fuzhou in Beijing as soon as we arrived in Beijing in January, and they sent us back," 55-year-old Mao Qiping said.
