Summer camps claiming to train students in English ability or cultivate their interest in art are becoming more popular in Shanghai.

At an English summer camp organized by Shanghai International Studies University, students will live on campus for 10 to 15 days and spend more of their time practicing their oral English with the help of foreign teachers.

Teachers are expected to give bilingual lectures, show English-language movies, organize interactive games for students and take them to visit the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium.

"The camp is designed to make use of the spare time during the summer vacation to allow students to improve their oral English in a relaxing way," said Cao Zheng, an official with SISU's foreign education center, which is organizing the summer camp.

He said the 15-day camp costs 2,500 yuan (US$301), which includes food and accommodations.

The Shanghai Grand Theater Arts Center also plans to team up with the Shanghai Oriental Greenland, a student camping site, to offer an art camp for 100 local students aged 9 to 16 during the summer vacation.

Camp organizers said that they would invite 10 world-renowned musicians from seven countries to give three music lectures, four concerts and teach classes during the 10-day camp.

The camp costs between 5,000 yuan and 10,000 yuan, the center said.

"Summer camp is a good choice for children to study rather than playing and idly wasting the vacation, but the high price really scares us middle-class parents," said Yuan Chunfang, a local mother.

Many students said they aren't excited about such camps, as it just means more studying. "What we really need is a good rest during the summer vacation, but not an extension of burdensome study," said Zhou Fei, a 13-year-old girl.

(Shanghai Daily June 28, 2005)