As of September 1st, 400,000 primary and secondary school students in Yangzhou have commenced their new academic semester. This term brings with it a fresh array of educational benefits and notable highlights in the city. From the debut of the municipal student AI Learning Center to the tangible implementation of educational livelihood projects, the new term is teeming with promising developments, all underpinned by a steadfast commitment to the "health first" principle.
The newly launched Yangzhou Student AI Learning Center marks a significant addition to the city's educational landscape. Starting from the 2026 autumn semester, artificial intelligence general education will officially become part of the curriculum for primary and secondary schools across Jiangsu Province. Beyond school-based provisions, the Yangzhou Municipal Education Bureau has established this center, situated within the national school-family-society collaborative education base, and it is now fully operational.
As a hands-on teaching base for AI general education courses, the center is designed to foster scientific literacy and digital innovation thinking among young students. Aligned with the information technology curriculum, it focuses on eight core themes: fundamentals, application scenarios, data and perception, knowledge and reasoning, machine learning, human-computer interaction, ethics and safety, and social impact. The center features nine experiential zones, including an AI development history exhibit, interactive AI walls, a data source area, an education evolution station, metaverse applications, VR electric bike riding simulations, AI robot chess matches, an AI interactive platform, and a smart sports corner.
Advocating for authentic learning through project-based, inquiry-based, and experiential teaching methods, the center allows students to touch the forefront of technology firsthand. Wu Bichang, the center's head, noted that it aims to demonstrate AI's potential in enriching both life and study. The center offers free research and practice activities for all primary and secondary school students in the city, with a focus on a "cognition-experience-practice-creation" pathway. This high-quality educational platform is intended to broaden the technological horizons of Yangzhou's youth, enhance their overall competency, and ignite their innovative potential in the age of AI.
Beginning this autumn, the Municipal Education Bureau will also organize ideological and political practice activities for first-year junior high school students. The AI Learning Center will serve as a crucial venue for these activities, highlighting the practical applications of information technology courses. This initiative aims to guide seventh graders to step beyond their school walls, explore scientific and technological innovation, and elevate their digital literacy and practical abilities on a broad scale.
The "health first" and "happy learning" philosophy is being actively promoted across schools. At Yangzhou Yucai Experimental School, a "chubby kids training camp" has opened this term to enthusiastic responses from both students and parents. Principal Zhao Zheng explained that the school uses preliminary physical fitness data to identify participants, implementing targeted on-campus training programs that reinforce home-based health management efforts from the summer holiday. This collaborative, two-way approach between home and school effectively prevents the common problem of "summer effort, zero results at school."
Meanwhile, students at Baoying County Xiaoguanzhuang Town Central Junior High School have already begun preparations for their new "class league" matches. The school has been intensively developing campus sports education, using football as a key driver to implement the "health first" philosophy and turn the green field into a vibrant stage for student growth. This year, the Jiangdu High School team reached the semi-finals of the 2026 Provincial "Governor's Cup" Youth Campus Football League (High School Boys' Regular Group), earning a Fair Play Award and qualifying for the 2027 High School Boys' Super Group.
A spokesperson for the Sports, Health and Arts Division of the Yangzhou Municipal Education Bureau highlighted the implementation of the "2·15 Special Action" across all compulsory education schools in the city. All primary and secondary schools have established sports clubs, and the "Mayor's Cup" campus football three-tier league has been held for 11 consecutive years, with over 1,200 matches annually involving up to 13,000 students. The city is also strictly implementing national aesthetic education courses, continuously enriching their content with activities like "Elegant Art on Campus" and "Intangible Cultural Heritage on Campus." Over 5,000 students attended concerts and theaters in the spring term to experience the charm of high art up close.
"The 'health first' concept has taken root," said Yin Yuansong, Director of the Municipal Education Bureau. He stated that the entire education system is focusing on optimizing curriculum design, improving school-family-society collaborative education, and managing training institutions. The goal is to reinforce the "Five-Fold Education" across moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education, and to promote the construction of the "Four Campuses" – red, scholarly, vibrant, and clear – to ensure the healthy and coordinated development of students' physical and mental well-being. These efforts will continue in the new term.
The educational "livelihood gift package" promised by Yangzhou at the start of the year is now being delivered, turning commitments into tangible benefits for students and parents. With the opening of the autumn semester, these initiatives are progressing well, covering everything from new school facilities to daily necessities.
Three new schools have been built, expanded, or renovated this year, adding 4,200 new student places. Among them, the Yangzhou High School Shouxihu Campus is now in use, built to five-star high school standards. The campus' elegant traditional pavilions blend seamlessly with modern teaching buildings, labs, smart classrooms, multi-function halls, and standard sports fields. Gaoyou Secondary Specialized School has also completed a new indoor sports hall, ensuring physical education classes are no longer at the mercy of the weather. The main structure of the new junior high school in the city's west zone has been topped off, and it is expected to welcome its first batch of students next year.
Three newly constructed rural boarding schools are now providing a warm home for left-behind and disadvantaged children. Located in Baoying and Gaoyou, these "Sailing Towards the Future" schools include Baoying Taishan Experimental School, Gaoyou High-tech Zone Experimental School, and Gaoyou Sanduo Junior High School. Dormitories, canteens, psychology rooms, and other facilities have been upgraded during the summer, with beds, storage units, air conditioners, study areas, and activity spaces all in place. Trained life teachers and psychological counselors are on hand to ensure students not only live comfortably but also study effectively. So far, 126 left-behind children have applied for boarding, giving them a supportive "second home" at school.
The provision of free nutritious meals continues. In the spring term, 1,685 students facing significant financial difficulties, including orphans, children from families receiving subsistence allowances, and children in extreme poverty, received free on-campus meals. As the new term begins, a survey of new students for 2026 will be conducted to ensure all eligible individuals can benefit from this compassionate policy. Since the start of the year, the city has also conducted vision and spinal curvature screenings for approximately 400,000 students. Spinal curvature checks have been completed for over 60,000 students, with the remaining 20,000 expected to be done by the end of September. Professional physicians are establishing individual health records and providing timely guidance or referrals, striving for early detection and intervention.
Mental health is also a major focus. Nine new school psychology counseling rooms have been built this year, and 110 have been upgraded, bringing the total across the city to 119, all now available for student use. These "mind stations" provide a comforting and professional space for students to talk and relax. Over 800 full-time mental health teachers have undergone training, and more than 1,500 have participated in online research sessions, equipping them to better recognize and respond to students' psychological needs.
Finally, the "toilet revolution" has exceeded its targets. Originally planned at 19 schools with 200 new stalls and 425 renovations, the city has invested 11.378 million yuan to complete renovations at 30 schools, adding 269 stalls and upgrading 1,112. Adding partitions for privacy, lowering sinks for younger students, and improving ventilation illustrate how attention to this small but essential facility is making a big difference. From new campuses to nutritious meals, and from health screenings to psychological support, these educational initiatives are turning plans into reality, ensuring that the warmth of this new term continues to spread.