The ultimatum is loud and clear for tens of thousands of young civil servants in Chongqing municipality who do not have a higher education degree: obtain one by 2016 or lose your job.

Any municipality worker aged 35 and under must obtain at least an associate degree in seven years or risk losing his or her job for being "incapable of completing assignments," according to the local human resources and social security bureau.

"The move is to encourage young employees to develop skills especially at the grassroots level," said director Jiao from the policy and regulation department of the bureau to China Daily Tuesday. He refused to give his full name.

He also refused to explain why officials over the age of 35 were not included in the education requirement project.

"About 30 percent of all 100,000 Chongqing's government workers, who are mostly from the countryside, might be covered under the program," said Jiao, who added that employees would not lose their jobs during their studies.

The bureau, according to the Chongqing Economic Times, said the government promised payments of 3,000-3,500 yuan ($440-$510) per year as tuition reimbursements.

"Having heard about the news, my husband and I are considering not having a baby before I get the degree," said Xu Pingping from Chongqing in an online forum.

The bureau said that next week prospective students could apply with their respective organization's approval form, take entrance exams and study part-time or via the Internet for an associate degree.

To obtain an associate degree in China, students on average must pay 3,000 yuan a year and study for two and a half years. An associate degree in the technology or medical science field, however, can take up to four years.

Yang Chenfan, a professor of law at Renmin University of China, said due to historical reasons many government workers - especially those working in townships or villages - are not well educated.

"This is a desperate resort that the municipality has undertaken to plug up holes and uphold service levels. The (government workers') know-how and capabilities must be updated to meet requirements of the fast-changing new age."

Yang added that civil servants are critical of public service offerings and therefore the initiative to equip them with degrees is addressing very basic needs.

"The key to their successful education is to frame out a sound appraisal system that rewards academic achievements and encourage them to keep learning," he said.

(China Daily August 12, 2009)