Gao Shuzhen

Gao Shuzhen (born 1957) is a female educator from Wali Village, Sigexuang Town, Luannan County, Hebei, China. She served as a delegate to the 12th National People's Congress, representing Hebei.

Biography Gao Shuzhen is an ordinary rural woman from Wali Village, Sigexuang Town, Luannan County, Hebei Province. Her son, Wang Liguo, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of four, which left him physically disabled. When he reached school age, he was unable to attend a regular school. In hopes of helping her son, Gao initially planned to set up a small classroom at home. Later, she discovered that there were other children with physical disabilities in nearby villages who were also unable to go to school. As a result, she began running a school in her home for these children.

In April 1998, Gao Shuzhen opened her first “Kangtou Classroom” (a home-based classroom set up on a traditional heated brick bed). The teacher was her daughter, Wang Guoguang. There were five students, four desks, two small blackboards, and a collection of old borrowed textbooks.Over time, Gao began to take in more and more children with disabilities. She never charged a single cent in tuition, despite falling deep into debt. To feed the children, the rice harvested from the more than 20 mu (about 3.3 acres) of paddy fields contracted by her family became their staple food. Gao also traveled long distances to buy household items in bulk and sold them at local markets in order to support the children's daily needs. In 2013, Gao Shuzhen was elected as a deputy to the 12th National People's Congress.

On March 10, 2013, during a group discussion session of the Hebei delegation at the 12th National People's Congress, her speech was met with a round of applause from the entire room.