Every year, over 200,000 ambitious students enroll in various colleges and universities in Sichuan, a province in the remote regions of China. Of them, more than 50,000 come from poverty-stricken areas.

To help these poor students fulfill their dreams of education, the Sichuan government has adopted a series of favorable policies such as student loans. However, much to the surprise of officials, a large number of the financial aid students chose to give up their studies.

A recent survey revealed that poor students give up their college study for several reasons. One of their major concerns is, due to the currently overcrowded job market, their salary after graduation would hardly be enough to make ends meet. For these impoverished rural youths, the ever-increasing education fees are far from what they can afford. Although various student loans are now available, they still must pay the debts for years after graduation. Therefore, they must find a job with a salary high enough to meet their daily needs and repay their loans. Although education was traditionally an efficient way for the rural-born to change their fates, it is now a more complex decision that requires careful thought.

All over Sichuan, charity institutions provide financial aid in large quantities to newly enrolled college students. However, it is difficult to match qualified students with the aid they require, so there are still more yearning for help. Meanwhile, some students' pride keeps them from accepting aid, but they are also unable to raise sufficient money for their education.

(China.org.cn by Chen Xia, September 12, 2007)