On 18th December 2023, at 23:59 Beijing time, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck Jishishan County, Linxia Prefecture, Gansu Province. In response to the disaster, the Education Foundation of the Open University of China (OUC) swiftly reached out to the Gansu and Qinghai branches to assess the situation of grassroots education sites in the affected areas and gain insight into the conditions of the teachers and students.

On the evening of 21st December, the Gansu and Qinghai branches reported that the campus buildings at the grassroots education sites in Jishishan County, Gansu Province, as well as Minhe and Xunhua Counties in Qinghai Province, had sustained significant damage. This unfortunate event has resulted in substantial losses for the students currently enrolled in these educational institutions.

Considering the urgent assistance requests from the three affected counties and in line with the Education Foundation's responsibilities, the Foundation has made the decision to contribute 500,000 RMB to the Jishishan School under the Gansu Branch. This donation will be dedicated to the restoration and construction of the campus, along with providing support and condolences to the teachers and students who have been affected by this unfortunate incident.

Furthermore, the Foundation will also donate 100,000 RMB to the Radio and Television University located in Minhe and Xunhua Counties under the Qinghai Branch. This contribution aims to assist the affected students and help restore their confidence during the post-disaster reconstruction efforts. Our goal is to support them in overcoming this challenging period.

The OUC Education Foundation will continue to closely monitor the post-disaster reconstruction efforts of grassroots education sites in the affected areas and remains steadfast in its commitment to restoring normal operations in these locations.

By Yu Zhangli, OUC