Chapter 873

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Everyone looked at Zhang Zhiqiang, and Zhang Zhiqiang could only brace himself and say a couple of sentences:

"I think the key to the problem is to grasp the key problem. So, what is the key problem with children's schooling? Cough cough, it's studying! Then how to study? This is very crucial, and it's also the key problem we need to focus on solving……"

"Alright, alright." Zhong Hongtao hurriedly interrupted Zhang Zhiqiang's words, "Zhang Zhiqiang, we invited you here to do real work, not to spout official jargon. For us grassroots cadres, doing real work always comes first. Do you understand what I mean?"

Zhang Zhiqiang gave a dry laugh, then hurriedly nodded:

"Understood, understood……"

But in reality, he didn't understand at all.

How would he know how to solve the predicament facing rural education?

He had never even thought about it. Although he had a son who would soon be school-age, that didn't stop him from not thinking about this problem.

Wang Erhai pondered slightly at this moment, then said:

"The problem of village children having difficulty attending school actually has a solution, and this method can reduce costs to a minimum."

Zhong Hongtao and the town leaders all turned their gazes toward Wang Erhai.

"What method? Speak quickly and let us hear."

Today, although this was just an ordinary discussion meeting.

The issues involved, however, were also problems that the town government leaders had always found very troubling.

The education problem of township primary schools was already the most prominent difficulty among rural problems at the current stage.

Wang Erhai said:

"With insufficient student sources, a village primary school definitely cannot be reopened. The cost of reopening is too high. So the village children still have to go to the town's primary school to study."

Liang Xinghua asked:

"Many villages are very far from the town. Take our Shanggou Village for example — it takes a twenty-minute drive to reach the town. How can the children go to school? Letting the children go on their own is unrealistic. Having parents pick them up and drop them off is also unrealistic. Many rural people don't have cars, and they also don't have the time to shuttle them."

Zhang Zhiqiang said at this point: "Then they can just board."

Liang Xinghua glanced at Zhang Zhiqiang with disdain:

"The children are still this young. They don't understand anything. Are you at ease letting them go board?"

Zhang Zhiqiang had nothing to say.

Wang Erhai said at this moment:

"We can do it like in the city — arrange a few school buses to pick them up and drop them off every day. The cost of school buses plus drivers is definitely much lower than reopening a village primary school. Spread across each student, it's probably only four to five hundred yuan per semester. Most rural families should be able to afford this transportation fee. For low-income households that can't afford it, the government can provide a subsidy."

Zhong Hongtao nodded, expressing deep agreement:

"Wang Erhai, your idea is good. And it also aligns with the concept of rural revitalization. Having school buses transport children is, however you look at it, far better than letting children walk to school. If superiors come down to inspect, this can also become a highlight that our town government can proudly present."

At this time, a town government cadre raised his hand and said:

"Town Mayor Zhong, school bus transport is a good thing. However, township road conditions are complex, and villages are scattered. To implement this policy, thorough planning must be done in advance. How many school buses are needed, how many drivers, what route each bus will take — all of this needs study."

Town Mayor Zhong said:

"Let the people on the school side study this. Once they confirm the enrollment numbers, they can immediately start the study."

The town government cadres all nodded in agreement.

The school knows the students' situation best, so the school bus transport plan still needs the school leaders to study. If we town government cadres go study it, that would be a bit like laymen meddling in experts' work.

If problems arise, they would have to bear responsibility.

But if the school leaders study it, then even if problems arise, it's the school leaders who bear responsibility.

"Wang Erhai, the plan you proposed today is very good! You truly live up to being someone who has been a boss outside!" Zhong Hongtao praised Wang Erhai endlessly, making Wang Erhai feel a bit embarrassed.

Wang Erhai smiled politely:

"Town Mayor Zhong overpraises. I was just speaking casually."

After the meeting ended, Zhong Hongtao kept Wang Erhai behind alone.

"Wang Erhai, do you know why you, Liang Xinghua, and Zhang Zhiqiang were asked to attend this meeting today?"

Wang Erhai was stunned, and asked in puzzlement:

"Wasn't it to exchange views on rural revitalization?"

【46】 Zhong Hongtao laughed:

Zhong Hongtao laughed and said:

"Listening to you young people's ideas at this symposium, seeking a breakthrough for rural revitalization from them, is only one aspect. There's another aspect: we need to select one person from among you three young people to serve as the temporary Village Committee Secretary of Shanggou Village."

Wang Erhai was immediately stunned. He had completely not expected that this was actually for this matter.

Because up to now he still didn't know that Zhang Zhongtian had gotten lung cancer. Zhang Zhongtian had kept this matter very tightly under wraps. When he went to Guangzhou for treatment before, he claimed to the outside world that he was going to Guangzhou for tourism.

"So it was to select a village cadre. This village cadre work, I'm afraid I can't do it. I've never done it before."

Wang Erhai tactfully refused.

One reason was that he had never thought about being a village cadre.

The second was that he was still thinking of fighting his way back to the city to start a business.

This time returning to the village to do masonry work was purely because after he drove the Shanhai Real Estate County Branch into bankruptcy, he wanted to find a place far from commerce to settle his own heart.

But Zhong Hongtao said:

"Wang Erhai, don't belittle yourself. In my opinion, among you, Liang Xinghua, and Zhang Zhiqiang, you are the most suitable for this position. And doing things for your hometown — don't you feel it's very glorious, very fulfilling?"

Wang Erhai laughed dryly:

"Being able to do things for the hometown is indeed glorious. But I really don't have this psychological preparation. Speaking of which, isn't Zhang Zhongtian doing a good job? Why suddenly replace him?"

Zhong Hongtao spoke truthfully:

"Old Zhang has indeed done quite well; these years, under his management, Shanggou Village, although unable to reverse the population loss and the situation of the village's decline, the whole village is still considered orderly, and the villagers' satisfaction with him is also very high. However, recently his daughter-in-law just passed away not long ago, and he himself was found to have cancer upon inspection; physically, he probably can no longer handle the duties."

"What? Zhang Zhongtian got cancer?"

Wang Erhai was stunned, somewhat surprised.

Because in his impression, Zhang Zhongtian was a person full of energy, handling everything with ease; how could such a perfectly fine person suddenly get cancer?

This really makes it difficult to accept.

Zhong Hongtao's expression was heavy; he sighed:

"Yes, Old Zhang got cancer, and it's lung cancer late stage. I see his days are not many left; for these final days, it's better not to let him fuss over the village's affairs, so I want to keep his position, then select a temporary village cadre to take over his work."