Kuandian government, one of the poorest counties in northeastern Liaoning province, has set a rich example: Despite its lean annual revenue of less than 1 billion yuan, the county has spent over 4 million yuan in weekly transport of more than 4,000 students from their villages to schools.

The boarding schools in 12 towns rotate their holidays in order to let all students enjoy the service of the 12 buses for a maximum of 20 yuan a week. The buses run seven days a week and there are strict rules that bind the drivers to guarantee safe trips for the students.

In this mountainous county, many students had to travel hours from their village homes to schools, either by taking public buses or on foot. The longest journey is 47 kms and safety on the road from home to school used to be a concern for parents and teachers. The county government decided to solve the problem.

It purchased 12 school buses and contracted a local transport firm to run them. A school bus has even extended its route by 5 kms for the sake of a single student.

More buses are needed to cover the remaining eight townships, where primary and middle schools are yet to be merged into boarding schools for the nine-year compulsory education. Fewer and concentrated schools will make the operation of the school buses cheaper and easier.

The local government has promised that school buses would cover the rest of the townships in two years.

Besides finding the money, more needs to be done for the safe operation of school buses. Drivers must be carefully selected and trained to follow the rules strictly, and warned that any violation would cost him his job.

This county's example indicates that there should be nothing that a government cannot do for its people. It is not rare for some local government leaders to come up with excuses such as lack of funds or facilities for failing to solve a particular problem. The complaints from local government leaders about such difficulties invariably flow whenever they are required to do something for their residents.

What makes the difference between delivering and coming up with excuses is a sense of duty. Any government with a strong sense of duty will do its utmost to make life better for its residents.

Many county governments, with much higher revenues than Kuandian county, do much less to alleviate the problems of rural students. There are leaders and officials who would rather purchase cars or villas rather than use the funds to relieve the residents of their burden.

In many regions now, it is not the lack of funds that prevents the local government from adequately addressing the needs of its people but lack of dedication, arising from a sense of duty, to resolve problems.

(China Daily July 6, 2009)