Primary school students in Tianzhu county, Wuwei city, Gansu province have moved into new school buildings where they don't need to use coal stoves for warmth.

Tianzhu county in Northwest China is home to the Zang ethnic group.

The improvement is due to county's "heart-warming project" to reconstruct school buildings and install small boilers and modern teaching equipment.

A teacher gives first grade students Chinese class at a new classroom, in Tianzhu Zang autonomous county, Gansu province on Nov 10. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]

Thousands of students from 62 boarding schools in agricultural and pastoral areas have benefited from the project.

The project complies with the national program of improving school conditions in poverty-stricken areas, the local government says.