In 2001 some 79 percent of high school graduates went on to college (or other higher education institution). College enrolment numbers were twice those of 1998. This year college students make up some 14 percent of the 18 to 22 age group.
The People?s Daily has recently reported that the central government decided to increase enrolments in 1999. For three years now, enrolments have been increasing faster than planned. In 1999 actual enrolments were 1.6 million (with 1.3 planned). By 2000 the figures were 2.2 million (1.8 planned), rising to some 2.7 million (2.5 planned) in 2001.
This year enrollment is underway with a planned intake of 2.75 million new students.
By 2001 the population of college students had grown to 7.19 million nationwide. This unprecedented figure has done much to satisfy growing demand for articulation to college level education.
In order to support expansion and satisfy demand for education, the Chinese government has increased investment in colleges and other institutions of higher education. For example in just three years no fewer than 43 million square meters of dormitories and 5.3 million square meters of dining halls have been added through a mix of new-build and renovation. These recent increases in facilities actually exceed the totals for the preceding 50 years.
Since 1999, the State Council has sanctioned a number of educational reforms. These include on-line matriculation, reform of the ?3+x? (college entrance) examination system and the lifting of restrictions based on age and marital status.
The same three years have seen the government pay particular attention to the higher educational needs of students from less well off backgrounds. New policies have been introduced each year and these have included bursaries for poor students drawn from the presidential reserve fund. After years of effort a policy of supporting the poorest college students has been successfully established.
Scholarships, work-study programs, subsidies, reduced tuition fees and student loans are all now in place and working effectively. The introduction of unsecured, half interest student loans has been timely and they are proving particularly helpful to poor students.
Now there is another new policy in China. Colleges are required to allocate a minimum of 10% of their tuition income to a fund to support poor students.
(china.org.cn by Chen Lin, October 22, 2002)
