About 6.63 million computers were utilized in Chinese middle schools and primary schools in 2003, which means there was one computer for every 32 students in middle and primary schools, according to the statistics from the Ministry of Education.

A source from the Ministry of Education said education on information technology in Chinese middle schools and primary schools has made remarkable progress over recent years. China now has 34,749 school LANs (local area networks).

Meanwhile, in a bid to promote long-distance education in rural middle schools and primary schools, the central government has invested 1.3 billion yuan (US$157 million) over recent two years to launch trial long-distance education in 18 central and western provinces, the source said.

The central government will continue to speed up investment into long-distance education in remote areas. It plans that in five years, every rural junior middle school will have at least one computer classroom and every rural primary school will have a digital TV teaching system as well as VCD playing system for teaching.

(People's Daily May 10, 2004)