The nation has made great progress in the development of education since the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2002, according to a report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The report said China has taken several measures to promote the development of education.

The central government has continued to increase funding to rural education in the central and western regions, according to the report.

The central and local governments have invested 11 billion yuan in rural middle and primary schools for distance learning, and funding will cover all of these schools by the end of this year.

The nation waived tuition fees for compulsory education in rural areas this year. It continues to provide free textbooks and subsidies to boarding students from poor families.

The national budget for compulsory education in rural areas will reach 223.5 billion yuan this year, an increase of 39.5 billion yuan over 2006.

Vocational training has also been a focus of the central government in recent years. Premier Wen Jiabao said developing vocational training was part of the 11th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development.

During the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-10), the State Council has earmarked 10 billion yuan to support vocational training. The central government has already given 3.8 billion yuan in funding to vocational education.

The investment has been used to build vocational training bases, improve education facilities and support students from poor families to receive vocational training.

According to the report, the central government is also giving financial aid to poor students. The State loan system, introduced in 2000, has helped 3.06 million college students from poor families by issuing 26.6 billion yuan in interest-free loans. The "Green Passage" program, under which poor Chinese students can defer tuition fees, helped 330,000 new students enrol on time last year.

(China Daily October 13, 2007)