Relatively poor western and rural areas will receive priority in
developing education over the next four years, with the central
government allocating 10 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) each year to
the areas.
This unprecedented large allocation reflects the central
government's determination to fully propel educational development
in western areas so as to help advance the economy there, Minister
of Education Zhou Ji said at a news conference yesterday in
Beijing.
The event was held by the State Council Information Office to
outline a new plan for revitalizing education for the 2003-07
period.
By 2007, the number of people in a dozen western provinces or
autonomous regions, who receive primary to middle school
educations, will reach 85 percent from the present 75 percent,
according to the plan.
By 2007, cash-strapped students in rural and mountainous areas
will be exempt from tuition, textbook expenses and fees for
boarding schools, in an effort to avoid dropouts from schools, said
Zhou.
China's better developed eastern areas have been attempting to
popularize primary and middle school education.
But western and rural education, where 64 percent of the
population resides, is not properly emphasized.
Zhou said redoubling efforts will develop specialized programs
to equip farming families with updated agricultural skills.
The ministry will contribute more to open vocational courses for
employees in industrial sectors and laid-off workers to help them
seek better paying jobs, said Zhou.
Touching on the issue of international cooperation, Zhou said
his ministry will support domestic universities that collaborate
with international schools on scientific research projects and
training.
China has signed agreements with Britain, France, Germany,
Australia and New Zealand to recognize academic degrees. Zhou said
the country plans to sign similar agreements with others.
Sending more Chinese students abroad and receiving more
international students here is an important part of the country's
international exchanges, Zhou added.
In another development, the Ministry of Education has decided to
assist more self-supported Chinese students studying abroad with
governmental scholarships this year.
For the first time, governmental scholarships were granted to 95
self-supporting Chinese students last year who studied in the
United States, Japan, Britain, France and Germany. Each of them
will get US$5,000 bonus.
Before that, governmental scholarships were only given to
government-funded students.
(China Daily March 25, 2004)