Gas shortage forces rural students to study outdoors
Seven primary schools in North China’s Hebei Province began to supply heating on Tuesday after media reports revealed that some students had to bask in the sun to keep warm.
Eleven rural primary schools in Quyang county will have new air conditioners, electric radiators or clean-coal stoves as of Wednesday, The Beijing News reported. Seven of the 11 had the heating running by Tuesday afternoon.
Quyang government was asked to replace coal with electricity for heating this year, but the project failed to finish before heating season began, China Youth Daily reported.
The temperature in Quyang was as low as -5 C on Monday and Tuesday.
Previously media reported that students took class on seats in the sun outside classrooms. Others ran on the spot. “Students could not bear the cold so I took them outside running to keep warm,” an anonymous teacher at Xiaokoutou primary school told China Youth Daily.
Xiaokoutou has had no heating since November 15, the teacher said.
Some students at Nanyawo Primary School even suffered frostbite, the report said.
Traditional coal stoves and chimneys were dismantled and thrown outside the village school’s classrooms but the electric heating facilities were still not in use.
Wang Peng, Quyang Party secretary, told China Youth Daily the local disciplinary organ had launched an investigation.
The news comes as China promotes the use of cleaner fuel for heating in northern China instead of burning coal.
A shortage of natural gas has also led to a price rise.
The price of liquid natural gas has risen 60.2 percent since September, the 21st Century Business Herald reported Tuesday, citing the National Bureau of Statistics.
The National Development and Reform Commission released a notice this year requiring relevant provinces and regions adjust the price of natural gas and warning that natural gas companies strengthen their self-discipline on the price of the gas, the report said.
Other regions in northern China including Shaanxi and Shandong provinces have reportedly suffered similar problems.