AISL Harrow Empowers China’s Next Generation on a Premier Stage for Critical Minds across Five Provinces
The 2026 “Telling China’s Story Well” National Primary and Secondary School Language and Literacy Competition was successfully held recently. Organised by the Association of China Education Television (ACET), it is a major humanities and holistic literacy competition included in the Ministry of Education’s 2025–2028 National Competition Whitelist. . Five AISL Harrow Schools, operated by Asia International School Limited (hereinafter referred to as “AISL”), were appointed as the sole official organising institutions of the competition in Shanghai, Chongqing, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan, respectively.
The event brought together more than 1,200 primary and secondary school students from 400 teams across China at five Harrow campuses. Through the power of debate, participants explored defining issues of our time, ranging from Chinese culture and technological innovation to social development, showcasing the critical thinking, linguistic confidence and cultural pride of a new generation. AISL Harrow’s appointment as the official organising institution across five regions reflects the organiser’s strong recognition of the Group’s longstanding commitment to critical-thinking education, language and literacy development, and global communication skills. It also affirms AISL Harrow’s proven track record and industry influence in advancing holistic education for young people in China.
In recent years, China has continued to advance its vision of becoming a leading nation in education, placing cultural confidence, intellectual rigour, language proficiency and intercultural communication among the key qualities required of future-ready talent. By bringing together the strengths of international education and the evolving needs of education in China, AISL Harrow has developed a Chinese critical-thinking curriculum spanning Years 1 to 12. The curriculum seamlessly integrates reading, speaking, writing and cultural understanding, enabling students to develop logical thinking through learning in their home language while deepening their sense of cultural identity and connection to their country.
Guided by this educational vision, AISL Harrow continues to pioneer new ways of integrating critical-thinking education with Chinese-language learning. Dr Ahmed Hussain, Chief Education Officer of AISL Group, said: “We hope our students will not only strengthen Chinese language, but deepen their understanding of China; by confidently telling China’s story to the world. Critical thinking through debate strengthens language, culture, and a global perspective.”” This lies at the heart of AISL Harrow’s educational philosophy: truly international education should not distance students from their own culture. Rather, it should empower them to understand China more deeply as they engage with the wider world – developing a global vision while remaining firmly grounded in cultural confidence.
Grounded in a profound mastery of their native language and outstanding critical thinking skills, AISL Harrow students shone brilliantly in the semi-finals. A remarkable total of 43 teams and 111 students have proudly secured their places in the National Finals. AISL Harrow not only set the highest advancement rate among peer international schools nationwide, but also outperformed the public school average. This impressive milestone stands as a powerful testament to AISL Harrow’s unparalleled excellence in cultivating language literacy and delivering holistic education.
Five AISL Harrow Schools – AISL Harrow Shanghai, AISL Harrow Chongqing, AISL Harrow Hengqin, AISL Harrow Nanning and AISL Harrow Haikou – were each appointed as the sole official organising institution in their respective region, to successfully deliver the “Telling China’s Story Well” National Primary and Secondary School Language and Literacy Debate Competition.
Five Events, One Cross-City Celebration of Critical Thinking
AISL Harrow transformed this recognition into five outstanding competition experiences. The events attracted widespread attention from government representatives and leaders across education and international communication, demonstrating both the professional calibre of the competition and its far-reaching social impact.
As the first stop on the national programme, AISL Harrow Hengqin set the competition in motion. The event received strong support from the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and the wider education community. Distinguished guests included Ms Feng Fangdan, Director of the People’s Livelihood Affairs Bureau of Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone; Mr Chen Jian, Education Inspectorate Adviser to the People’s Government of Guangdong Province; and Dr Zhou Ning, General Manager of China Education Television Zhongjiao Hailan Company and Organizing Committee of the Competition. Renowned television presenter and debater Chen Ming served as chair of the judging panel. Together with Linda Wang, Associate Director of Education of AISL, he provided expert commentary on the exhibition debate and praised the students for their impressive critical-thinking skills and strong cultural confidence.
The competition featured four age categories: senior secondary, junior secondary, upper primary and lower primary. Students debated contemporary topics spanning Chinese culture, personal growth, social development and technological innovation. Through the dynamic exchange of ideas, they honed their logical reasoning, public-speaking and critical-thinking skills, embarking on a journey of growth that encouraged them to “see themselves, understand others and engage with the wider world”.
Throughout the competition, AISL Harrow invited experts, scholars and experienced debaters from the fields of international communication, education and culture to participate in judging and exchange sessions, offering students diverse cultural perspectives and professional insights. Each school also hosted cultural showcases, student performances and immersive campus experiences, allowing participating students to discover the richness of traditional Chinese culture alongside the vibrancy of an international school environment. Beyond the competition itself, these experiences further elevated students’ cultural confidence and intercultural communication skills through meaningful exchange and mutual learning.
During the competition, AISL Harrow invited experts, scholars and experienced debaters from the fields of international communication, education and culture to take part in judging and exchange sessions.
AISL Harrow hosted a series of campus cultural showcases during the competition, giving participating students the opportunity to experience the richness of traditional Chinese culture and the vibrancy of an international learning environment beyond the debate stage.
Dr Zhou Ning commended AISL Harrow’s outstanding organisation of the competition: “AISL Harrow has established an exceptional benchmark for the ‘Telling China’s Story Well’ National Language and Literacy Competition for Primary and Secondary School Students. The schools demonstrated not only outstanding event-organising capabilities, but also a genuine commitment to embedding critical-thinking education within campus culture, enabling students to grow through authentic dialogue and the meaningful exchange of ideas.”
The competition not only celebrated students’ growth on stage, but also provided a powerful platform for developing leadership skills. Jason, a Year 10 student at AISL Harrow Hengqin and Debate Team Ambassador, shared: “Throughout the process of organising the event, I improved my teamwork and coordination skills. More importantly, I came to understand that we can go further together as a group than when we are alone.”
A debate is far more than a contest of language and intellect; it is also an impactful exercise in character education. At AISL Harrow, critical-thinking education is viewed not only as a means of developing confident communicators, but also as an essential part of shaping character. This philosophy closely reflects the four core values at the heart of every Harrow education: Courage, Honour, Humility and Fellowship. On the debate stage, students demonstrate courage by stepping forward and embracing a challenge. They embody honour by building arguments on evidence and logic while respecting the rules. They show humility by listening carefully to different perspectives and engaging with an open mind. Through supporting one another, preparing as a team and growing together, they bring the spirit of fellowship to life. Every exchange of ideas sparks intellectual growth; every debate becomes an opportunity to build character.
AISL Harrow believes that its four core values lie at the heart of critical-thinking education, nurturing not only articulate communicators but also young people of character.
One participating parent commented: “The greatest reward from this competition was not winning or losing, but seeing my child truly learn how to think and listen. He has become more confident in expressing his views, more respectful of different voices and better able to work with others to solve problems. I can see that AISL Harrow’s core values are not merely words displayed around the campus. They are genuinely brought to life in every classroom discussion, every collaborative project and every debate.”
Spanning five events across five cities, the competition created an inspiring platform for young people to exchange ideas and develop their critical-thinking skills. It also brought AISL Harrow’s open, diverse and global educational philosophy vividly to life through every authentic conversation and meaningful interaction.
Critical Thinking for the AI Era: Nurturing the Leaders of Tomorrow
Looking ahead, the transformative power of criticalthinking will become even more vital in the age of artificial intelligence.Beyond the conclusion of this year’s competition, AISL Harrow continues to lead the way in cultivating critical minds.. Through its international education network and unwavering commitment to holistic education, AISL Harrow will continue to: equip students with the independence of mind, critical-thinking skills and intercultural understanding needed to thrive in the AI era; and empower them to think independently and communicate with clarity, confidence and conviction, becoming future leaders who combine deep cultural confidence with a global outlook and the ability to shape the societies of tomorrow.
AISL Group currently operates 14 Harrow schools across the Asia-Pacific region, with a presence in Hong Kong, mainland China, Thailand and Japan. Within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Group has already established an integrated education network spanning Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Hengqin. This year, the region will welcome the Group’s 15th school, AISL Harrow International School Guangzhou, set to open its doors soon. As an important new addition to the AISL Group’s presence in the Greater Bay Area, Harrow Guangzhou will carry forward the group’s distinctive approach to cultivating critical minds, holistic education, and the development of global-minded talent.It will bring a premium international education experience to even more families across the region, while championing the development of language proficiency and global communication skills among young people in China.
AISL Harrow looks forward to seeing many more young people begin their journey here – connecting with the world through critical thinking and sharing China’s stories through the power of their own voices.
