Education
Children need
Getting To School
For many children, getting to school is easy. Many children get on the bus in front of their homes each morning, and they get dropped off at the end of the day. Some kids go to a bus stop close to their home to catch the bus. There are some children who get a ride to school from their parents. If a child lives close enough to the school, they walk. In the United States, education departments do their best to make it as easy as possible for a child to get to school. Unfortunately, in other countries, it isn’t as easy for children to get to school.
Wang Funman
Wang Fuman is an 8-year-old boy who lives in Xinjie, which is a province in China. He was living with his parents, but when he had to move to a big city to find work, Wang moved in with his grandmother. This worked out great until the new school year started. The school Wang attends is about three miles away from his grandmother’s home, which means that he spends hours each day walking to and from school. When the weather is nice, it is a hassle but not too challenging. When winter began, things became unbearable for the young boy.
Winters In Xinjie
Winters in Xinjie can be brutal. An average winter day where Wang lives, the temperature can get as low as 15 degrees. The days tend to be windy, and when the sun isn’t out, being outdoors for just a few minutes can be brutal. The fact that Wang spends hours in these extremely cold temperatures is heartbreaking.
Test Day
Wang got up for school one morning, and it was only 15 degrees outside. His grandmother thought that he should stay home because it was bitterly cold outside and she didn’t think he should walk to school. Wang insisted on going to school. He told his grandmother that he had a test that day and he didn’t want to miss it. Wang took his studies very seriously, so he insisted on going to school.
The Photos
Wang did walk to school that day. He walked three miles in the blistering cold. When he got there, he was freezing, literally. When he arrived at school, the principal saw him and took photos of the frozen boy. He wanted people to see how difficult some of his students had it when it came to getting to and from school. In the photos, Wang’s hair was completely frozen. His eyebrows were as well. His cheeks were burning red from the cold. The photo is heartbreaking.
Frozen Hands
Wang’s principal took a photo of him when he was taking his test. In the photo, you can see how the cold froze his hands. What this little boy must have gone through during his three-hour walk to school is horrific.
Viral Post
Shortly after the principal posted the pictures on Facebook, they went viral. People from all over the world were commenting on the photo, reacting to it, and sharing it. People couldn’t believe what an 8-year-old child has to go through just to get an education.
Strong Little Boy
Many of the comments on the post were about what a strong by Wang is. Many people were impressed by his dedication to his education. Many kids would jump at the chance to miss a day of school, especially on the day of a test. Wang was determined to get to school that day.
Changes?
You can only hope that the photos posted by the principal will force Wang’s school to make some changes. Could a neighbor with a child bring him to school? Can they get a bus out to Wang’s house? There are many people who believe that Wang deserves better, but all he cares about is going to school every day He knows that he has to do well in school if he is going to get a good job. His parents had to travel far to find work because they never got a good education. Wang wants more for himself when he grows up. This is why he walks so far each day just to go to school. This
