KUNMING, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- At age 12, Lei Xin had already mastered a skill most adults would never attempt: navigating a treacherous cliffside trail in the dark -- not for adventure, but to go to school.

　　For years, reaching school meant a three-hour trek for Lei and his peers from Nizhuhe Village in Xuanwei City, southwest China"s Yunnan Province. The village sits at the bottom of the Nizhu River Grand Canyon near the border with Guizhou Province, while their school is perched more than 500 meters above them on the cliffs.

　　Children used to leave home well before sunrise, often returning exhausted. For parents, the daily trek was a source of constant worry.

　　Now, the most daunting stretch of the route Lei once took to school can be covered in just 57 seconds, with a new 288-meter-high cliffside elevator whisking students up the canyon wall at five meters per second.

　　An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 29, 2026 shows cliffside elevators at the Nizhu River Grand Canyon in Puli Township, Xuanwei City, southwest China"s Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

　　Lei"s story is not unique. Across China"s vast, often rugged frontier regions, millions of children face long, perilous journeys to school. From sheer cliffs to winding rivers, the obstacles vary, but so do the solutions. The efforts, backed by national policy, reflect a broader commitment -- ensuring that geography does not determine a child"s access to education.

　　CROSSING EVERY DIVIDE

　　Guanzhai Primary School, perched on the cliffs above, serves children from surrounding mountain communities, including four in Nizhuhe Village.