Building a Night School Alliance: Seeking “Study Buddies”
The Rise of Night Classes: Embracing Lifelong Learning
In recent years, the trend of attending night classes after work has become increasingly popular among young professionals. Many local communities and educational institutions are actively integrating resources to offer vibrant and accessible public classes, creating post-work “charging stations” for young adults. However, some training organizations and individuals are exploiting the night school concept to promote costly courses of questionable quality, leaving many participants feeling deceived.
**Free Courses Are a Hit**
“Alright, everyone, relax and breathe…” At 7 PM in the Xicheng district’s Party and Mass Service Center, over twenty young men and women are practicing Ba Duan Jin, a traditional Chinese exercise, under the guidance of their instructor. One participant, Xiao Zhang, shares, “After a long day at work, engaging in high-intensity workouts like running or weightlifting can be overwhelming. I prefer something gentler like Ba Duan Jin, which helps relieve stress both physically and mentally. The instructor is very professional, and after I mentioned it to my friends, many of them are eager to join night classes too.”
Instructor Sun Jiahao, from the Beijing Sports University’s Chinese Martial Arts School, is teaching at a night school for the first time. “Previously, I taught at various companies where employees participated passively. Here, everyone has signed up voluntarily, and the enthusiasm is much different,” he notes. He plans to teach Wu Qin Xi next, introducing students to more of China’s exceptional traditional sports culture.
Beyond Ba Duan Jin, courses such as dance, oil painting, and ocarina play have also gained popularity in the district. In September, the Xicheng District Youth League Committee launched the “Youth Night Lecture Hall,” covering topics like intangible cultural heritage, arts, sports, and mental health, serving over 200 participants, all free of charge. “Currently, the most popular courses focus on intangible cultural arts,” said a staff member from the Youth League Committee.
**Making Free Time Meaningful**
During interviews, it became clear that various districts offer unique night school experiences. The Dongcheng District Workers’ University has developed over sixty courses across areas like arts, health, traditional culture, finance, and language, including topics such as nail art and weight management. Meanwhile, the Dongcheng Cultural Center offers a public art training program covering topics like traditional Chinese erhu performances and basic drawing skills.
At 7:30 PM in the Chaoyang District Youth Station, a 90s-born office worker named Yan Yan is immersed in a makeup lesson. Working for a media company, she recognizes the significance of makeup for professional women. When she learned about the Chaoyang Youth Night School project offering a makeup course, she quickly registered: “The instructor guides us step by step, and I can ask questions anytime. More importantly, I’ve made many friends here.”
Another office worker, a young man named Xiao Li, is currently taking vocal lessons at Jianwai SOHO. After one class, he humorously remarked about his newfound confidence: “Singing with the instructor is so stress-relieving. Instead of spending my evenings binge-watching shows or playing games, I feel like my life has more purpose now.”
**Exploitation in the Name of Education**
However, alongside these official and community night schools, a new trend of informal night school alliances has emerged online. “Join our WeChat group, pay a deposit, and once we have 5-10 participants, we’ll start the class.” In a group called “Night Class Buddies,” advertisements for courses pop up daily, with enticing offers from experienced professionals. Yet, the quality of courses varies significantly.
Mr. Wang, who once attended a night school for table tennis, expressed frustration: “I thought I’d improve my skills, but the coach was less skilled than I am! I found a nearby training center through a night school WeChat group. After waiting for two weeks to gather enough participants, I was disappointed to find the coach had amateur skills with no actual teaching experience.”
Sadly, some training institutions lure participants with low-cost introductory courses, only to push them into high-priced follow-up offerings. Xiaoling, who signed up for ten vocal lessons at a promotion of 500 yuan, later felt pressured to buy an expensive advanced course costing nearly 7000 yuan. “I initially sought affordable education, but in the end, I spent a month’s salary,” she lamented.
According to data from Meituan and Dianping, the search volume for “night school” has surged by 980% this year, with related reviews up by 226%. In light of the varying quality of civilian night schools, many participants urge future students to carefully evaluate the training institutions, their teaching conditions, and the qualifications of educators. Experts also recommend establishing a regulatory framework for night school education to ensure its sustainable development, calling for collaboration among government, educational institutions, and society.
In March, the Central Youth League’s Grassroots Construction Department released guidelines to diversify night school offerings, including increasing government subsidies for cultural programs and collaborating with educational and social organizations.
