Schools all over Jing'an district welcomed students back on September 1 with a variety of activities.
Students from the Fenghua Junior Middle School were greeted by the school's new IP images "Xiaofeng" and "Xiaohua," two cartoon figures representing boys and girls. They were designed by student Yang Jiaheng, and selected from more than 700 candidates.
As this year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the school arranged a scene play during the opening ceremony to pay tribute to the CPC.
The play allowed students to "talk" to the early founding members of the CPC, who were only in their 20s about a century ago, so as to raise their patriotism and devotion to the country. After that, they sent letters expressing their feelings of the CPC.
As the Tokyo Olympics has ignited the public's interest in sports, the First Central Primary School of Jing'an held a sports knowledge quiz during the opening ceremony. The school hopes to promote Olympic spirits such as fair competition and ever-lasting friendship at the campus.
Over the years, it had been a headache for working parents to pick up their children. This year, Shanghai put it high on the government agenda to call for schools to stay open longer.
All of the 50 primary schools in Jing'an have expanded hours, and more than 30,000 pupils, 80 percent of the total, are staying at school longer.
After-school enhancements include a wide range of activities rather than more lessons or tests.
The First Central Primary School of Jing'an has divided the three-hour after-school services into three periods.
The self-study period allows students to complete homework at school, and teachers are there to offer help when needed. Then, it's time for them to indulge into their hobbies like reading, sports, art and science. They can also talk with teachers and take part in psychological games.
"Now, I can turn to teachers whenever I have problems in doing homework, it's more effective," said student Ma Shengchao.
Parent Wu Wa added: "Previously, I had to ask my parents to pick up my child or turn to after-school childcare institutes. But now, the school opens longer. I feel very assured."
It's part of efforts to reduce students' after-school burden. Schools and neighborhoods across the district have arranged a wide range of activities for students to take part in.
On September 5, the first Sunday after the new semester, river officials in the Linfen Road Subdistrict led children on a tour around the local Sitang River. Children were told about river clean-up and asked to recognize plants grown along the river bank.
In the neighborhood of 261 Fenxi Road of the subdistrict, children used abandoned bottle caps and chopsticks to decorate an empty wall.
The Daning Road Subdistrict has designed different vocational experiences for local children. On September 11, 30 primary school students experienced what is like to be a solider for a day. They visited a local barrack and saw how soldiers exercised every day.
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