The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance have
decided to allocate more money to the fund which gives free
textbooks to rural students. Funding will increase from 400 million
yuan (US$48.2 million) in the spring semester to 870 million yuan
(US$104.8 million) in the autumn semester which is to begin next
week.
The central government will buy textbooks for all students in
poverty-stricken rural families in 22 regions and provinces in
western and central China. In other words, 16 million students in
primary schools and 8 million in junior middle schools will get
free textbooks.
This move is expected to keep a lot of rural boys and girls
living under the poverty line in classrooms.
Statistics show that there were 85 million people at the end of
last year whose annual net income was lower than 865 yuan (US$104).
Most of them are from rural areas in western and central China.
The cost for sending a child to primary school may be as high as
200 yuan (US$24) each semester in rural areas. Even after the
education authorities have taken measures to lower education costs,
the expenditure remains at around 100 yuan (US$12) in most
less-developed regions.
Many rural kids are kept out of school because their parents
cannot come up with enough money.
The textbooks given by the government will certainly help ease
the financial burdens of poor families and bring many children back
to the classroom.
These books will encourage children to expand their horizons and
ultimately improve their lives.
More important, by sponsoring the poverty-stricken rural
students, this step will narrow the education gap between rural and
urban areas.
In the nation's speedy economic and social development, the
government is shouldering the responsibility of creating equal
opportunities for all children to be educated, at least in
compulsory education.
We are hopeful the government will ensure that the specially
designated free textbook fund for poor rural students will continue
to increase.
(China Daily August 26, 2004)