On Wednesday it was revealed that an allocation of 9.2 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) in subsidies for compulsory education in rural areas has been made by the Chinese Government, said the Ministry of Finance.

 

The ministry said the funds would be used to implement the central government's policy of exempting all 148 million rural primary and junior middle school students from paying school tuition fees and incidental charges from the Spring semester of 2007.

 

Students of rural schools in China's western region have already been exempted from such charges. The funds include 7.5 billion yuan to cover tuition and 1.7 billion yuan to supplement school budgets. The ministry gave the figures said in a statement.

 

China has vowed to increase spending on nine-year compulsory education to ensure students in poorer regions have access to learning.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2007)