Shenzhen Government Online
Expat teachers excited about Qianhai’s new plan
From: Shenzhen Daily
Updated: 2021-09-15 09:09

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Rachel Benham teaches at a class at Whittle School & Studios. Courtesy of Whittle School & Studios


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Alessandro Antonicelli and his sudents look at the class’ artworks. Courtesy of Whittle School & Studios


Teachers from Whittle School & Studios in Qianhai’s Mawan area said they were “very excited” about Qianhai’s development and would leverage their expertise to offer better education to local students.


Alessandro Antonicelli, head of the school’s creative arts and design department, said he and and his colleagues have worked hard to positively participate in the construction of Qianhai’s environment of creativity and they were very excited to contribute to the Qianhai plan to see a “successful hub” rise in the near future.


He added that the plan mentions building Qianhai into a great platform for international communication and encouraging international education institutions to set up their campuses in the area. “We would be able to show the students’ and teachers’ works in some public areas in Qianhai,” Antonicelli said. “If we could use this platform to show and exhibit creative works, then it will benefit both Qianhai and our school.”


With three years’ working experience in Shenzhen, Antonicelli mentioned that the city is a great place to work because it offers him more opportunities and he is attracted to its art scene with many museums and art centers available for enthusiasts.


On the other hand, Rachel Benham, the school’s English teacher, said she was “incredibly excited” to hear about the plan as she and her husband just moved from the north to Qianhai, which is the city’s new focus.


“The idea of expanding and developing services [in the plan] that are available to us just seems unimaginable to me,” she said. “So, living in Shenzhen is really a privilege. The city and the school both demand the best from the people living and working here.”


As more famous schools choose to set up their campuses in Qianhai, Benham believes that “it’s a wonderful opportunity for international educators to learn from China and vice versa.”


“The school will take every possible opportunity that’s available with the new Qianhai plan and we’ll try to move and think with the plan to utilize the chance we have to give everything we can to our students,” she added.




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