“ONLY 15 days left!” Ma Xiaogang, a middle-school student in Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, yelled as he counted down the days to the Beijing Olympic Games.
Several months ago, the teenager assumed he would just be watching the long-dreamed of Games on television at his home, a small village in the arid region.
“Thanks to an education program, I got three tickets for volleyball, baseball and athletics,” said the excited 16-year-old.
Following the practice of previous Olympics, China has set aside about 1 million Olympic tickets, priced at 5 yuan (US$73 cents) and 10 yuan, for primary and secondary school students nationwide. The tickets are stamped “Olympic education program tickets.”
“Tickets will be distributed to students through provincial education departments to ensure students from all over China will have the opportunity to attend the Beijing Games,” said Gao Hong, vice director with the Basic Education Department of the Education .
The tickets will be given out mainly in 556 schools nationwide, he said.
Because of the high ticket prices, many people, especially students can’t watch the Games live.
“It’s already difficult for my parents to support my studies. How dare I expect to be able to watch the Olympic Games in Beijing,” Ma said.
When hearing the news his school would choose five students to see the Games in the capital, Ma applied and won.
“I will cherish the experience and share it with my classmates after I go home,” said Ma, who was busy learning more about the Olympic Games.
According to the schedule, Ma will leave for Beijing with another 189 students from around the region on Aug. 11. Many of the students are Muslims.
“These students were chosen according to their performance in their studies and sports activities,” said Shi Liwen, an official with the Education Department of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. She added the results were publicized in schools and were supervised.
According to the Olympic education program tickets project, students from Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Liaoning and Hebei will be able to watch Games in their home cities, and students from the other 27 provinces and regions will be able to come to Beijing.
To ensure sound accommodation and transport for the students, 10 high schools in Beijing with excellent facilities have been designated to receive them.
Beijing Hui School will serve the Ningxia students. “We have prepared well and are ready to serve them,” said Cao Xiaodong, the school deputy head.
(Xinhua)