(Dingbian, Shaanxi, March 20 2024) On March 18-19, the launching ceremony of the “Anji Play” Localization Exploration Project for rural kindergartens in Shaanxi Province supported by the Yeh Family Philanthropy (YFP), organized by the Shaanxi Gender Development Solution (GDS), was held in Dingbian county, Shaanxi, China.
Li Zhen, Director of the Basic Education Division of the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education, Yang Yang, Deputy Minister of the External Liaison Department of the Shaanxi Women’s Federation, Zhang Jun, Director of the Shaanxi Gender Development Center, County Mayor Li Shengyuan, and Deputy County Mayor Gao Yan attended the meeting.
During the meeting, Ding Baorong, the principal of Baoji Gaoxin Kindergarten, and Zhou Enhong, the principal of the Dingbian Fifth Kindergarten, shared their experiences in Anji Play practice. Leilina, the project manager of GDS, introduced the implementation of the project and the promotion of Anji Play. Li Zhen also presented the appointment letters of experts for the responsible personnel of the project at the provincial, municipal, and county levels in Shaanxi’s rural kindergartens.
Li Zhen affirmed the achievements of Dingbian county in Anji Play practice and early childhood education innovation. She pointed out that kindergartens should continue to adopt a pragmatic attitude, an open mindedness, and a long-term goal, following the footsteps of young children to discover, explore, and learn. Educators should continuously draw on practical experience, innovate work ideas, vigorously improve educational concepts, teaching methods, management systems, and educational quality, create a batch of schools and learning platforms with international influence, and work together to promote the implementation of the localized “Anji Play” project.
Li Shengyuan expressed gratitude to GDS and the Shaanxi Women’s Federation for their long-term concern and support for the education cause in Dingbian county. He stated that Dingbian county will continue to increase investment in education, regard education as the greatest livelihood, continuously promote the popularization and equality of preschool education, the quality and balance of compulsory education, and the revitalization and development of county-level high schools. The county will further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with other counties and districts, jointly promote the development of more replicable, and promotable localized experiences, spare no effort to build a preschool education business card with significant influence for rural kindergartens in the whole province, and contribute actively to the localized exploration and regional promotion of the “Anji Play” project. The county will play the leading and demonstration role of the “Anji Play” national experimental zone, continuously address the weaknesses in the teaching environment, allocation of educational resources, and teacher team construction, comprehensively improve the quality of care and education, and further improve the public service system of preschool education that covers urban and rural areas that is inclusive and beneficial to the public.
Prior to the meeting, Ms. Cheng Xueqin, the founder of Anji Play, and other experts visited the First county kindergarten and the Dingbian Fifth Kindergarten for on-site visits, listen to reports on the promotion pilot work, and have on-site exchanges to gain profound understanding of the implementation of Anji Play. Ms. Cheng also delivered a lecture on “Supporting Children’s Active Learning Based on Play”.
