Vocational school helps shape destinies

"I choose teachers for my class and can fire them if they don't perform well," said Li Jinling, one of the head teachers, adding that head counts are a must for every class, with 2 yuan (30 US cents) deducted from a teacher's wage of about 30 yuan an hour for every student who is absent.

Lanxiang has a simple philosophy－students will not miss class or leave the school if they are provided with knowledge and skills in a favorable environment.

Li said managing a group of students, most of whom are not academically qualified to enter senior high schools, is not easy, especially at the start.

When students fall ill, Li buys them medicine. When they fail to receive money for expenses from their parents, he lends them cash, and he makes a phone call to students' parents at least once a week.

Li was under so much pressure in the first few months after he "contracted" his class that his weight fell by about 5 kilograms. The 44-year-old even took a notebook with him to jot down students' personal details. "You have to know students well first before knowing how to manage them," he said.

Head teachers' working day begins at 7:30 am when they join a daily school meeting. Their work ends only at about 11 pm after visits to dormitories to ensure no students are missing. All head teachers live on campus and are offered free accommodation that can be shared by family members.