Chinese universities and colleges should offer more on-campus jobs to boarding students who have to stay on campus due to the snow havoc, an urgent notice by the Ministry of Education said on Sunday.

Colleges should make every effort to minimize the impact of the bad weather on students staying on campus during the winter vacation, to offer good quality logistics and entertainment facilities free, it said.

The ministry stressed campus security, noting efforts should be made to eliminate any possible danger, including roof collapse, and to ensure water and power supply. Telecom systems should also be protected against potential snow disaster.

Preparation work should be done ahead of the coming new semester. Colleges should also be held responsible for helping students return from home, the notice said.

It stated colleges located in areas of extreme bad weather may readjust their education plans to ensure the security of students and faculties.

In addition, colleges should help students be more aware of the energy-saving concept and prepare for the worse to minimize the possible damage from the current snow havoc.

Elsewhere, funds have been raised by the China Youth Development Foundation to support students boarding at colleges during the current snowy weather.

The funds are to help students in poor financial situation in the heavy snow areas. Each student is receiving 300 yuan (41.76 U.S. dollars).

China ordered a stepping up in disaster relief efforts on Sunday for the worst snow in 50 years as the weather was forecast to become milder this week.

The southern regions, hardest-hit by snow and freezing rain during the past three weeks, were forecast to experience rainy intervals, according to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA).

The State Council, China's cabinet, ordered to beef up efforts to clear the snow- and ice-covered roads and restore rail and road traffic to take stranded passengers home and transport more coal and disaster-relief goods.

(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2008)