The enrollment in military schools is to be increased, and short-term training is to be instituted for newly appointed noncommissioned officers, to meet the needs of the ongoing military system reform, sources at the Headquarters of General Staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said Wednesday.

According to the reform, tens of thousands of posts in dozens of professions will be taken by noncommissioned officers, who should be equipped with specific professional skills.

Some of the posts will be taken by noncommissioned officers who have received relevant professional training. But there are still some posts which have no suitable candidates because there are no similar majors in the current noncommissioned officer education system, like quartermasters and military club directors.

In order to meet the new demand, a plan for extra training has been adopted to increase the professional skills of noncommissioned officers. Military schools will enroll the first 4,000 noncommissioned officers of this kind this spring. They will spend one year in schools and one year training in their specific positions.

In addition, short-term training for several thousand noncommissioned officers who have received professional education will be carried out, according to the plan.

The current enrollment in military schools next autumn will not be affected by the special enrollment, the sources said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2004)