All kindergartens, primary and middle schools in China's capital have been opened to foreign children living in Beijing from February, said sources with the Beijing Education Bureau.

According to the new policy, foreign children whose parents live or work in Beijing can enter any school they choose, not justthe authorized and mainly international ones as before.

Foreign students who successfully graduate from the schools will also get official certificates as Chinese students.

In the past, only three kinds of schools could accept foreign students, including four schools founded by foreign embassies, 11 international schools founded by other foreign organizations, and 25 Chinese schools authorized by the local education department.

According to statistics, more than 3,000 foreign children studied in Beijing in 2001 and nearly 5,000 in 2002. Enditem

(Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2003)