Taiyuan: More young Chinese are opting for night school programs after their regular work hours, with many attending various classes to pursue their interests and hobbies. Hui Ruixue, a 28-year-old from Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, follows this trend by attending tennis classes at a local sports center after work.
According to Namibia Press Agency, night school programs have surged in popularity across China, expanding from major cities like Beijing and Shanghai to smaller cities and towns. This educational model offers a wide array of courses, making learning accessible and affordable. In Jiangxi Province alone, 460 youth night school sites were established in 2024, providing over 1,650 courses that have benefited more than 42,000 young people. Similarly, in Yunnan Province, over 200,000 young individuals have participated in night school programs since 2014.
Night schools in China, while not a new concept, now focus more on adult interests and hobbies. Li Jianghao, a night school operator in Taiyuan, notes t
hat these schools offer interest-based and experiential learning courses such as photography, dance, painting, calligraphy, and musical instruments. Participants can attend nearly 15 hours of classes for a few hundred yuan.
Li Fenglai, director of the provincial cultural center of Shanxi, explains that the popularity of night schools is partly due to support from local governments and civil organizations aimed at enhancing public cultural services. Various cultural and educational bodies, including the Communist Youth Leagues and university professors, are involved in delivering lectures to young people.
The growing spiritual and cultural needs of young people have fueled the thriving night school scene, with many courses quickly selling out. While public institutions struggle to meet the demand for night schools, private organizations have stepped in to fill the gap. Li Xin, a night school operator who relocated from Hangzhou to Taiyuan, offers popular courses in coffee brewing, bartending, and sewing.
So
ciologists suggest that attending night school after work is likely to become a regular activity for an increasing number of young Chinese, highlighting the evolving educational landscape in the country.