SHANGHAI, THE FIRST SINO-AMERICAN SCHOOL OPENS
Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School, a merger of China's Shanghai Qibao High School and US Dwight High School, will be the first Chinese-American high school to open its doors in China. The project, already launched several months ago, has now reached its final stage. The new school was created to meet the growing demands for higher level English language training for the offspring of a growing middle class.
The high school welcomes students between the ages of 16 and 19 and follows the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, with courses in Mandarin Chinese and English. Starting this autumn, around 150 students will be attending the institute, of which 100 are residents of Shanghai and 50 from other provinces or abroad. "The curriculum" says Qiu Zhonghai, principal of Shanghai Qibao High School "offers all the advantages of a bilingual education and also aims to promote critical skills and an aptitude for scientific research". The traditional system of education and training in China has often been criticized, by the Chinese themselves, for a certain tendency to repetitive and rote learning and a distinct lack of innovation and creativity. As a result, many students turn to internationally recognized courses to supplement their education. The schools offering courses of this type are mainly located in the most economically and culturally lively areas, such as Shanghai itself, Beijing, and the provinces of Guangdong and Jiangsu. The goal of Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School is to combine the best of the Western and Eastern educational systems together. Alongside subjects such as mathematics, science, geography, history (both European and Chinese) and political science, there will also be a specific course on Chinese society. "This new school will greatly enhance our city's educational offerings," said Yang Weiren, an official of the Education Commission of the Shanghai Municipality.
http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-03/05/content_17322661.htm
