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China: Shen Zhen Yuan Ping Special Education School

January 05, 2015 | Pulitzer Center
By
Jessie Li

The entrance to the administrative building of Shen Zhen Yuan Ping Special Education School, the largest special education school in China. The sign reads, “Everything for disabled children.” Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

SZYP’s annual art exhibition includes artwork from elementary school students and high school students. Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

Students and teachers admire the annual art exhibition. Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

This year’s theme at the annual art exhibition: “My future is not just a dream.” Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

The athletic complex at SZYP is named “Compassion Stadium.” Recently, five of the 12 members of the SZYP swim team received national awards in the Special Olympics. Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

Students take a break during their end-of-the-year examination period to play basketball. Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

The lavish administrative building at SZYP includes a permanent collection of student artwork, meant to attract donors. Mr. Guo notes, “There are kids who still can’t eat without help, but they can play piano beautifully. Our goal is to help all students have greater independence…art is one way to achieve this.” Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

Like many special education schools, SZYP is carefully constructed to prevent safety hazards for students with disabilities. Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

SZYP separates its high school students into two tracks: vocational and college-bound. For those pursuing vocational training, options include learning to work in a laundry facility. Students can learn the skilled needed on campus. Throughout the year, hotels will seek out cleaning employees from SZYP’s students. Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

Another option within the vocational track is culinary training. Recently, SZYP culinary students were featured on the TV show Shen Zhen Little Kitchen God (深圳小厨神). Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

Students of all grade levels take art classes at SZYP. Sculptures by high school students are displayed here. Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

The art program at SZYP places particular emphasis on traditional Chinese embroidery. An art teacher who was a former student at SZYP, believes that learning art is more difficult for deaf students, “because it’s just visual learning, versus visual and auditory learning.” Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

A student mural at the school. Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

A scale model on SZYP displayed in the administrative building. The current campus includes a large athletic complex, an administrative building, several academic buildings and several dormitories. Image by Jessie Li. China, 2014.

The metal-gated campus of Shen Zhen Yuan Ping Special Education School (SZYS) in Shenzhen harbors a sprawl of whitewashed buildings topped with red roofs, as murals of student artwork line the driveway leading from the police-guarded gates towards the main school. A stone-carved plaque greets every visitor on campus with the school’s motto: "Everything for disabled children."

Founded in 1991, SZYS is the largest special education school in China, with over 980 students and 350 teachers. Covering over 72,000 square meters, the school educates students from elementary to high school, and over 600 students board here as well. This comprehensive special education school accepts students with varied disabilities. Guo Jun Feng, dean of curriculum, notes that the school adapts its curriculum to students with five types of disability: deafness, blindness, mental disability, autism, and cerebral palsy. The school operates on a policy of zero rejection, “but we’re way over our limit,” says Mr. Guo.

SZYS represents the strides the Chinese government is taking towards expanding special education—primarily through building new schools in big cities. Yet it also demonstrates the void that remains in most suburban and rural parts of the country. “It’s not good that in this entire city this is the only special education school,” says Guo. He speaks admiringly of provisions for American students with disabilities. “I’ve heard that every student with a wheelchair gets a helper to help them throughout the school day. It’s impossible here for that to happen though. There simply aren’t enough people.”

Despite the difficulties, Guo has an ambitious vision for the students. “Our goal is that every graduate gets a job.” He mentions that all 33 of this year's graduates are employed.