Chongqing - Many young people in Chongqing attend night schools after work, sparking a new trend in nightlife activities among the younger generation.
One Youth Night School in Chongqing's Jiangbei District has become their option. With two campuses in the district, the school offers nearly 20 courses, such as DJ programs, folk percussion, cocktail mixing, intangible cultural heritage paper cutting, and calligraphy. In just three months, students have grown from 15 to over 200.
The young people have the class at the Youth Night School in Chongqing's Jiangbei District. (Photo/Youth Night School)
"Next week, we're launching new courses, and the demand is overwhelming," says Zhang Yusi, one of the Heads of the Youth Night School and Guanyinqiao Street Office staff members. Considering the large number of young people in the area, the street office started planning the Youth Night School in August to meet the cultural needs of the youth and promote cultural and artistic awareness.
Given the enthusiastic response from students, the Guanyinqiao Street Office is preparing to add two more campuses. "Our courses are all free, mainly to provide learning and training opportunities for the residents," said Zhang. The courses range from 4 to 10 hours, each class lasting one hour and taught by social workers and volunteers.
Youth night schools flourish across the city nowadays. In October, a privately initiated Youth International Community Night School was also established in Jiangbei District. The school offers 27 courses covering photography, drama, music, dance, English, computer skills, calligraphy, poetry, painting, sculpture, flower arranging, and more. Classes are held around 7 pm; the fee is 50 yuan per hour.
Various areas have established youth night schools throughout Chongqing, organized mainly by cultural and social service centers. Some are initiated by citizens or sponsored by businesses, focusing on public welfare training.
Relaxed atmosphere
On the evening of November 20, the graphic design class at the Community Night School in Hezuo Village took place. The class, set up with bamboo chairs and wooden tables to mimic a traditional teahouse, broke away from the formality of a typical classroom. Students sat comfortably scattered around the room, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a pleasant teahouse conversation.
"This class type is very relaxed," says student Liu Si. After a busy day, learning with a relaxed mindset is enjoyable, with no competition or assessments.
The calligraphy class at Hezuo Village Night School. (Photo/Hezuo Village Night School)
Haiyan, a student in the calligraphy class at Hezuo Village Night School, sees the class as a good outlet for relaxation. As a programmer with a busy schedule, the calligraphy class provides a "stress relief" channel. She appreciates the professional and dedicated teaching at the night school and enjoys learning and growing with like-minded classmates.
Zhang Dehao joined both the DJ program and calligraphy courses. "The DJ course satisfies my curiosity about new things, and calligraphy has updated my understanding of traditional Chinese culture," he says.
"At first, when I saw the night school, I thought it offered professional technical courses. I didn't expect it to be in the form of adult interest classes," says Su Wenyin, a student at Hezuo Village Night School. She appreciates that the night school brought in a music teacher she likes, and the cost of 50 yuan per class significantly reduces the learning cost.
"The existence of night schools doesn't necessarily mean learning something specific; it's more about expanding the boundaries of life and creating a third space for people beyond work and home," says Zhou Afen, a performance class teacher at Hezuo Village Night School.
Need for collaborative efforts
"Behind the popularity of night schools is the continuous breakthrough in urban cultural services and community education innovation. It strongly reflects the contemporary young people's desire for knowledge and skills," said Xu Jingjun, Deputy Dean of the College of Art Education at Sichuan Fine Arts Institute. He emphasizes the need to pay attention to the professionalism of teachers, the value orientation, and the quality of courses as youth night schools expand.
She suggests that while meeting the needs of urban youth attending night schools, equal attention should be given to rural youth's spiritual and cultural needs. Customized night school courses should be designed for them, ensuring a coordinated approach between urban and rural development. Additionally, while maximizing the role of arts education, youth night schools can also serve as a platform for promoting family and mental health education.
"This is just the beginning, and we hope more people get involved. People from all walks of life can become teachers, and everyone can become a student; this is a concept of a 'university,'" says Wang Chao, Principal of the Hezuo Village Night School.