Yin Zhaomei, director of the English language teaching team at Dongming Middle School, is impressed by the rapid enhancement in infrastructure and education quality in the Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone.

"Apart from growing the number of students and teachers, schools strive to embrace new concepts and ideas to bring the best to students," Yin said.

Dongming Middle School was tiny and in poor condition when she became a member of it in 2006. Chalk and a blackboard were the only educational tools in each classroom, she said.

After 13 years of continuous expansion, Dongming Middle School now has more than 7,000 students and nearly 500 teachers.

In addition to the upgraded facilities, the school paid closer attention to improving teaching quality.

"I visited schools in Shanghai in May and July this year to learn about new education concepts and try to apply what I have learned in Dongming," Yin said.

Dongming Middle School is taking measures to teach students to strengthen their problem-solving skills.

Teachers will not take a spoon-fed approach. Instead, students are encouraged to seek solutions through their own intuition.

In recent years, schools in the zone made great efforts to develop branded teaching programs. For instance, Beihai Education Group's ethical education program and Dongming Education Group's thinking skill training courses are all becoming well-recognized among local residents.

Education authorities of the zone said excellent teachers are key to supporting local education. Apart from attracting more excellent graduates to join the local education team, trainings are also provided to them so they can better adapt to their jobs.

In 2019, the zone welcomed 216 teachers. Among them, 18 are experienced teachers who have outstanding achievements in their careers. The number of teachers in the zone increased more than 12 percent over the past three years, according to Du Quanping, Party secretary of the zone's education bureau.

Xue Jiao, a teacher at Weifang Hi-Tech Experimental School, said schools in the zone play important roles in supporting teachers who have just graduated from universities or colleges. Mentor programs are available in schools in the zone and experienced teachers are invited to provide one-on-one lessons for new teachers. Looking ahead, the zone will continue to partner with universities and research institutes to develop training programs for its teachers.

From left: Foreign teachers at Weifang Hansen School hold a banner made during lessons. Children cheer at the campus in Qingping Kindergarten in the Weifang HiTech Industrial Development Zone.