Much attention is paid to the unique attire of minority NPC deputies but concern over the social, economic and cultural development of their regions is also deservedly high, Wu Haiying, a deputy of the Hui ethnic group, said yesterday.

Wu was speaking to Chinese and foreign journalists together with seven other deputies of ethnic minority groups.

"As a primary school teacher in the countryside, I know deeply the importance of education for minority people," Baobulu, a deputy of the Jino ethnic group from Jinghong, Yunnan Province, said.

With a little more than 20,000 people, Jino has one of the smallest populations among the country's 56 ethnic groups.

The average annual income of Jino members is less than 2,000 yuan ($280).

Baobulu showed reporters a painting by one of his students, which included houses, a board with the school's name and new roads. He said the artwork conveyed the student's longing for a better study environment.

"Only with the development of education can we have better lives. We hope to get support and help to improve our educational situation," he said.

Gesang Zhuoga, a Tibetan deputy who is the Party secretary of Tarmar village in the Ngaqen township of Lhasa, said that the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet railway helps Tibetan people not only in terms of its economy, but also education.

"For Tibetan students who go to study in other parts of China, taking a train on the Qinghai-Tibet railway is not only convenient, but also cheap," she said.