More kids back to school

Source: CCTV.com

09-01-2006 15:16

This new semester also sees the start of an amended law on Compulsory Education. It outlines the responsibilities of central and local governments in financing rural schools, and should lift the burden of poorer families.

Shabby desks, ramshackle classrooms, these are beyond the imagination of urban children.

Even unofficial fees for a school like this is not affordable for many rural family.

According to Chinese ministry of education, nearly four percent of rural primary and junior high school students don't go to school.

China enacted the law on compulsory education in 1986, freeing students from tuition fees for primary and junior high school studies.

But families in some rural areas were burdened with heavy educational expenses, as some local governments didn't leave enough money in their budget for education.

In what was called "a milestone event" in China's educational history, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao pledged this March that before the end of 2007, the government would eliminate all charges for rural students receiving a nine-year compulsory education.

The successful implementation of the policy requires an injection of nearly 220 billion yuan, or about 27 billion US dollars in the central government's budget for the next five years.

Educators believe that the government's commitment will be a boom to rural education.

The amended Compulsory Education Law will also ensure the right to education for children of migrant workers no matter where they live.

Editor:Ge Ting