Lonely, eight-year-old Liang Liang (not his real name) is the only student in a special school just for him because he is infected with HIV - and other children and parents rejected him in the village school.

His is the only one-pupil school, Aixin (Love) School in all of China and 30 meters off he sees his former classmates.

He lives in Baoshan Village in the northeast province of Liaoning. His one teacher, Wang Lijun, is a retired cultural worker who plays with him after school and says the boy is "so lonely."

Liang Liang caught HIV from his infected parents.

Yesterday, the start of World Health Day, Liang Liang and his teacher Wang hoisted the National Flag in the one-pupil school's courtyard.

Liang Liang's school was opened by the education department just for him, after the boy was rejected by a village school after just three days last year.

Liang Liang was counted in China's AIDS and HIV statistics from his birth. His father was the first HIV-carrier in Kuandian County in Liaoning, after he returned from working abroad. He unwittingly transmitted the virus to his wife.

His parents sent Liang Liang to Baoshan Primary School in September last year. But just days later, teachers advised him to leave, citing complaints from the parents of other students.

"Students don't play with me. They are scared of infection," said Liang Liang, well aware of why his classmates skipped class and tried to change schools.

"People have more fear than tolerance when talking about AIDS in this remote mountain village, where health and education conditions are poor compared to big cities," said Fang Lijuan, a county health official.

Efforts to educate the parents of other students were in vain.

To protect Liang Liang's right to schooling, the government gave him his own school. Its annual cost of 18,000 yuan (US$2,250 dollars) is several times higher than spending on an average primary student.

Teacher Wang, in his 60s, teaches Chinese, math, music and PE, and plays with him.