An investigation of National Bureau of Statistics showed that more than half of Chinese residents think that they cannot afford the education payout for its excessive high increase.

Currently, as a hopeful industry, education costs more and more money of Chinese families. According to the investigation in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, some 54.3 percent residents regard the speed of price increase on education is too fast, 26.6 percent residents regard it reasonable and only 13.1 percent deem it a slow speed.

Meanwhile, as to the economic gain and talent training, 42.2 percent investigated residents consider that currently, colleges think more of the former, 31.2 percent think that equal stresses are laid on both sides, and 10.6 percent think colleges attach more importance to the latter. In dealing with whether colleges should make profits and how much they should make, 42.2 resident think that to make a break-even between income and expenditure is well, 44.7 percent think colleges may make a little profit, only 6 percent think colleges should set their heart on earning more money as business institutes.

According to experts, in developed countries, the basic education is free of charge while in institutions of higher learning students must pay for the tuition by part-time work and social funding. In China, the students receiving higher education still cannot earn their living while the higher education system has been turned into paying an expensive tuition, which is a heavy burden for common families. The families are of opinion that under the current situation of limited national finance, colleges and universities may collect fees to a reasonable standard that is acceptable for most of the Chinese families.

(People's Daily 10/11/2001)