Night schools nurture skills, minds of young Chinese after work

On an early winter evening, amid a stream of cars trundling along the busy road, Huo Ting eagerly embarked on her journey to her beloved night school for a coffee-making class in Hefei City, capital of east China's Anhui Province.

Seated around a cozy coffee table, students diligently noted down the intricacies of coffee making while savoring the hot, handcrafted brews expertly prepared by their teacher, a renowned barista in the city. The goal? To learn the nuances of various coffee bean flavors.

"Now when I order a cup of coffee, I find myself caring more about the quality of beans, something I never paid attention to before," said Huo. She emphasized that the night school has broadened her horizon, providing a much-needed escape from daily chores and workloads.

Night schools were quite popular in China during the late 1980s and 1990s with attendees primarily seeking to obtain diplomas, but now they have evolved into a haven for contemporary young individuals to acquire novel knowledge, relax, and make new friends. In Shanghai, some 650,000 people applied for approximately 10,000 slots in night school classes last year.

Established in November 2023, Hefei Night School has set up 10 campuses across the city and attracted nearly 1,000 people to its diverse courses ranging from calligraphy, athletic rehabilitation, and makeup techniques to traditional craft wax dyeing.

With some courses priced at just 30 yuan (about 4.22 US dollars) per session, popular choices are often snapped up within minutes.

A 25-year-old engineer surnamed Lu had recently moved to Hefei, and expressed gratitude for the welcoming atmosphere and the assortment of novel yet affordable courses available at the night school.

"I once hurt my shoulder, and the rehabilitation teacher guided me on how to fix it. It was heartwarming," Lu recalled. He also highlighted the school's role in fostering friendships, as students bond over shared hobbies and similar age groups.

The night school faculty comprises professionals from diverse backgrounds — psychotherapists, baristas, flight attendants, and some confident and enthusiastic students also step onto the podium.

Xu, a 29-year-old philosophy and psychology enthusiast, felt compelled to share his knowledge after attending a psychology course that illuminated his world. "The course brings together like-minded people for in-depth conversations, offering a respite for busy people. I realized I could use my knowledge to help young people too," Xu explained.

He prepared diligently, reviewing profound philosophy books and practicing lectures at home, and ultimately debuted as a philosophy teacher at the night school.

"The ultimate questions of life and meaning often interest young people. I aim to encourage them to communicate and contemplate life in an unprecedented way, which is both enriching and meaningful," he said.

Zhou Jingwei, the founder of Hefei Night School, envisioned the institution as a dynamic platform for young people to learn, socialize, and immerse themselves in the vibrant culture of the city. "We aspire to infuse city life with more fun and meaning," said Zhou.