Home / News Type Content Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read | Comment
Ministries Bolster Efforts for Rural Education
Adjust font size:

On Tuesday, the education and finance ministries said that the free textbook scheme, funded by central government since 2001, will continue to provide assistance to increased numbers of students.

From the start of term after the Spring Festival, all primary and middle school students from poor families in 592 selected counties will receive free textbooks, boarding subsidies and exemption from additional fees.

The total number of students in the listed counties who will now benefit from the scheme is 16 million.

From 2005 to 2007, the government is allocating a budget of about 22.7 billion yuan (US$2.7 billion) for education subsidies to poorer students. This comes to about 200 yuan (US$24) for each primary and 340 yuan (US$41) for each junior middle school student per year.

According to the government's schedule, the new policy should be fully implemented in all 592 counties by 2007, when education subsidies to each primary and middle school student will reach 400 and 540 yuan (US$48 and US$65) respectively.

Vice Minister of Education Zhang Baoqing underscored that all relevant departments should set up accurate databases to ensure every eligible student is reached.

A Ministry of Finance source said that the free textbook system covers 32 percent of students from impoverished families in central and western regions.

This new effort came out in the spirit of the Circular No.1 that was issued by the government on Sunday, the focus of which was economic development of China's vast rural areas.

(Xinhua News Agency February 2, 2005)

Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read
Comment
Pet Name
Anonymous
China Archives
Related >>
- Rural Education to Receive Needed Aid
- Spending More in Rural Classrooms
- More Free Textbooks to Poor Students
- China Increases Investment in Rural Education
- More Schools to Be Built in Three Years
- Village Schools to Be Upgraded
- MOE to Focus on Education for Poor in 2005
Most Viewed >>
- World's longest sea-spanning bridge to open
- Yao out for season with stress fracture in left foot
- 141 seriously polluting products blacklisted
- China starts excavation for world's first 3G nuclear plant
- Irresponsible remarks on Hu Jia case opposed 
- 'The China Riddle'
- China, US agree to step up constructive,cooperative relations
- FIT World Congress: translators on track
- Christianity popular in Tang Dynasty
- Factory fire kills 15, injures 3 in Shenzhen

Product Directory
China Search
Country Search
Hot Buys