Schooled in Compassion

Wang Lijuan

Born: 1950

Place:Beijing

Job Title: Founder and head of

Beijing Zhiguang Special Education Training School

Role Model: Her mother

Wang Lijuan is a pioneer of education for China's mentally handicapped children. A successful main stream teacher whose career had taken her around the world, she was visiting the Beijing Handi capped Association on other business in 1997 when she saw a group of deaf, mute and otherwise disadvantaged children lumped together in a single classroom. She immediately perceived that, for them, the learning environment wasn't effective. Moreover, China's policy for handicapped youngsters only provided for education to the age of 16. After that ... nothing.

The following year, Wang persuaded the retired head of a special school to join her in setting up the Beijing Zhiguang Special Education Training School, whose aim was to provide occupational training for mentally handicapped children who had already graduated from special schools. "At the start, we had no textbooks, no staff, no school," recalls Wang. "We compiled the textbooks ourselves."

Training for younger children followed, as did a center and kindergarten for autistic youngsters. Wang says Zhiguang is the sole such school in China, and the only one that accepts the over-16s. She has sunk about one million yuan (US$120,000) into the school, and mortgaged her Asian Games Village apartment to register a company that she hopes will enhance her students' prospects still further.

Role Model

"I think mine is my mother. To me she was a perfect woman. When I was young she was very kind to all our relatives and neighbors. Our family was a little better off than others, so my mother always gave away clothes or food to help them. Now it's almost my habit to give my belongings to those in need, and I never think it's a big deal.

"My mother's hometown was in Jiangsu, and former generations of her family were all famous doctors. Traditionally a girl couldn't inherit the family skill, so she didn't go to school or learn medicine. But as a woman she was the best at everything she did. She was very good at embroidery, and tailoring western- and Chinese-style clothes. I still keep her embroidered pillows at home.

"She was very talented in art, although she never trained. She liked Peking Opera, and sang very well. I feel that whatever she did, she did it to the best. Even telling a story, she always made me laugh or cry. The dishes she cooked were the best to me. In things like this I am far behind my mother. But people in different times have different pursuits in life. I think I have achieved more in my education and career, but I should attribute these to my mother. Since she never went to school, she tried her best to get all her five children to university. Only one couldn't go because of the Cultural Revolution.

"When I was busy looking for a location for my school four years ago, my mother was sick. In order not to disturb my work, she didn't tell me. She came to Beijing for two weeks to go to hospital, and only called me from Beijing Railway Station just before she left for Changchun, where my elder sister lives. Half a month later I was told she had passed away. I still didn't have time to attend the funeral. My school was then at a crucial period of construction, and I just couldn't leave.

"My father became very sick after my mother died, and he passed away one year later. I went to Changchun to see him for the last time. He told me that my mother had told him not to tell me about her condition. She supported my cause wholeheartedly.

"Since her death I have each year, on her birthday, written a letter addressed to her.

"I tell her all about my life and the condition of the school, my difficulties and [important events in my life]. Then I write a letter back to myself in the name of my mother, imagining what she might say. I know that she will always support me."