Spring Break 2023: A Time for Love, Learning, and Blossoming
As the winter chill fades and the warmth of spring sets in, nine vocational colleges in China have a special message for their students: it’s time to find love! The Fan Mei Education Group, which operates the participating schools, has announced a unique theme for this year’s spring break – “enjoy the blossoms, go fall in love.” The week-long break, from April 1 to 7, aims to encourage students to “learn to love nature, love life, and enjoy love.”
The Reason Behind the Spring Break
Behind this unusual directive lies a serious concern – the declining birth and marriage rates in China. To address this issue, various local companies, provinces, and townships have launched initiatives to promote dating and marriage. The Fan Mei Education Group’s decision to encourage students to find love during the spring break is a part of this larger national effort.
Participating Colleges and Their Programs
The nine vocational schools that are part of this initiative offer training programs for careers in the aviation industry. These programs include pilot training, flight attendant training, air traffic control, and airport security. By encouraging students to “enjoy the blossoms, go fall in love,” the schools hope to help their students develop the soft skills that are essential in the aviation industry, such as effective communication, teamwork, and empathy.
Activities During the Spring Break
Despite the focus on romance, students are expected to continue their academic work during the spring break. They will have assignments such as writing travel diaries, penning reports on their growth, making handicrafts, or filming videos of their travels. However, the schools have planned various outdoor activities, cultural experiences, and social events for the students to participate in. These activities will give students the opportunity to learn outside of the classroom, make new friends, and “experience the beauty of love.”
Public Reaction to the Spring Break
The Fan Mei Education Group’s announcement has generated significant attention on social media, especially on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. The notice posted by Sichuan Southwest Aviation Vocational College received nearly 130 million views in just two days. Many Weibo users expressed their support for the idea and hoped that it could be implemented throughout the country.
Weekend Make-Up Classes
However, the schools have also included a catch to the week-long spring break. To make up for the lost time, the schools will be holding make-up classes on weekends. This is a common practice in China, where some companies enforce blocks of vacations to give employees more time to travel with their families.
Conclusion
The Fan Mei Education Group’s decision to encourage students to find love during the spring break may seem unusual, but it is part of a larger national effort to address the declining birth and marriage rates in China. By offering their students a unique theme for the spring break, the schools hope to help their students develop the soft skills that are essential in the aviation industry, while also promoting love, learning, and blossoming.
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