When They Tore Down the Schools | Caixin
Chen Liang—Caixin
As part of a national campaign to recover farmland, local authorities demolished more than 50 private schools in Zhoukou, a city in China’s Henan province. Amid rapid economic growth, unapproved building on farmland has boomed in Zhoukou over the past decade. For years, local authorities were content to levy fees, taxes and fines for these violations of building rules. Now, as the central government pushes them to reclaim farmland, they are racing to make amends. In the current wave of demolitions, private schools are a particularly conspicuous target. According to photographer Chen Liang, teachers speculate that this is because schools tend to occupy more land than other kinds of buildings. The demolition has caused an estimated loss of 35.6 million yuan (~5.53 million USD) for the private school owners. The ruins of the demolished schools also pose a more direct question—where will local children go to study now?
Caption information
As part of a national campaign to recover farmland, local authorities demolished more than 50 private schools in Zhoukou, a city in China’s Henan province. Amid rapid economic growth, unapproved building on farmland has boomed in Zhoukou over the past decade. For years, local authorities were content to levy fees, taxes and fines for these violations of building rules. Now, as the central government pushes them to reclaim farmland, they are racing to make amends. In the current wave of demolitions, private schools are a particularly conspicuous target. According to photographer Chen Liang, teachers speculate that this is because schools tend to occupy more land than other kinds of buildings. The demolition has caused an estimated loss of 35.6 million yuan (~5.53 million USD) for the private school owners. The ruins of the demolished schools also pose a more direct question—where will local children go to study now?