On January 18th, thousands of students from Chu Shui Experimental Middle School, Xinghua Middle School, and Xinghua No.1 Middle School in Xinghua City, Taizhou City, Jiangsu Province, launched a protest that successfully forced the schools to cancel their original plan of charging high fees for winter break makeup classes. This movement has been dubbed as the “118 Student Movement” and the “Anti-Bald Headed Group Oppression Movement.”
The Jiangsu Provincial Education Department had announced at the end of December that the winter break for elementary and middle school students would be from January 18th to February 12th, and schools were required to inform parents of the holiday dates promptly and strictly adhere to the schedule, without delaying the break or starting classes early.
Chu Shui Experimental Middle School, Xinghua Middle School, and Xinghua No.1 Middle School had scheduled makeup classes to start from January 18th and continue until January 24th before the winter break would begin, with students expected to return to school on February 5th.
A student named Zhao Zhicheng (alias) from Chu Shui Experimental Middle School revealed to reporters that the students resisted the makeup class plan. On the afternoon of the 18th, students from the first and second grades initiated the protests, with his school being the first to protest. He mentioned that their school had the least commotion during the protests. Meanwhile, at Xinghua No.1 Middle School, a large number of students gathered at the school gate, holding banners, chanting slogans, breaking the school’s wire fence, causing chaos similar to an earthquake, and even breaking windows and burning papers. Zhao Zhicheng stated that participation in their school’s protest was around a thousand students.
He further explained that the students’ protest was suppressed by the school authorities during evening self-study sessions when the principal and teachers intervened. Zhao mentioned that a teacher from the first grade even cursed at protesting students’ deceased parents. However, he conveyed his enthusiasm as they achieved their first victory, compelling the school to announce the holiday break.
One of the reasons for students’ protests was the high fees for makeup classes. Zhao Zhicheng highlighted that their school charged 200 yuan per day for makeup classes, while other schools charged just over 100 yuan per day, with no new lessons being taught during the makeup sessions.
He informed reporters that parents also supported the holiday break. In fact, students could attend off-campus makeup classes for an entire semester for just 2,000 yuan. Students learned that the school intended to collect 3.6 million yuan from makeup class fees, with 780,000 yuan allocated as teachers’ subsidy.
Despite the Education Department’s directive to start classes on February 12th, the school authorities did not comply. Zhao Zhicheng stated that their school scheduled the students to return on February 5th. If the school continues makeup classes, the students are prepared to persist with their protests, emphasizing that their holidays should not be infringed upon.
According to reporters, makeup classes are widespread in Jiangsu, with junior and senior high school students studying at school from early morning until late at night. Senior students in high school study for nearly 11 hours a day, facing immense academic pressure.
Hu Yong (alias), a second-year student at Su Hong Middle School in Jiangsu, mentioned that their school was only starting their break on January 23rd and currently in makeup classes. Although the students protested, they were informed by the county education bureau about the makeup classes, rendering their protests ineffective. The exact makeup class fees were unclear to them at that time.
He expressed the hardships faced by Jiangsu students, stating that they dare not protest as the school would discipline the ringleaders by at least giving them demerits and suspending them for a week. Hu reflected on the reality that despite having grand dreams, they were confronted with harsh truths.
He lamented, “Our school is the best in the county, filled with elite students who aspire to enter prestigious universities. The teachers constantly stress the importance of scoring high in the college entrance exams. Students believe that securing admission to a top university will pave the way for a brighter future.”
The success of the student protests has sparked discussions, with their actions being praised as the “118 Student Movement” and the “Anti-Bald Headed Group Oppression Movement.”
On social media platforms, netizens have commended the students for their courage and unity. A student’s post read, “The students in Xinghua City exhibited unprecedented courage in overcoming the ‘bald-headed group’ in schools. Let’s cheer for this historic moment! Remember this occasion!”
Some parents expressed their frustration online, suggesting that the money spent on makeup classes could be used instead for family outings, as many children only focus on academic tasks, lacking essential life skills. They criticized the Chinese-style education for erasing aspects of students’ innate talents through excessive studying.