Peking University, China's most prestigious educational institute, is to set up a 120-member student patrol team to improve campus security and provide poor students with part-time work.

 

The campus-based security force will comprise postgraduates, sophomores and higher grades, said an official from the university's security department.

 

From next month the team is expected to patrol the campus safeguarding bikes, helping increase awareness of security among students and reporting suspicious activities to the authorities.

 

The mostly male team members will be paid 10 to 15 yuan (US$1 equals 7.8 yuan) per hour. Some may get a performance-related bonus.

 

In the early 1980s the university had a "Student Security Association", but it had been disbanded, said the official.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 22, 2006)