Though some European professors doubt whether massive education programs spur economic growth, Nanhui District keeps investing in the future.
It hopes schools can provide sufficient talented individuals for the district's modernization plans.
But instead of enhancing the importance of university education, the district has built and improved basic educational institutions. It has focused on secondary schools and training centers to cater for suburban residents and ensure more local people have a chance to learn.
In the first half of this year, the district has spent 17.8 million yuan (US$2.14 million) on the renovation of nine secondary or high schools.
The district should develop education first when planing its modernization, said Dai Haibo, director of Nanhui District.
This year, the biggest educational program for the district is the completion of its 300-million-yuan renovation of Shanghai Nanhui High School, which was started in 2003. It is one of the city's biggest high schools.
The 230,000 square meter school with 22 buildings has space for 3,500 students, 72 classes and 400 faculty members. The school now accommodates more students and attracts top level teachers. The school's roots can be traced back to the Nanhui Girls Secondary School built in 1927.
The school has set up a Website, publishing its daily activities such as sex education for grade one senior high school girls and autumn sports activities. It now seeks more talented high school educators.
Besides improving school conditions, the district has launched other programs for those missing out on higher education, but are still eager to learn after work or in retirement years.
Training centers have also been set up for migrants, laid-off workers and farmers. About 24.4 percent of local residents have some form of training.
The district has also plunged more than 3 million yuan to set up seven educational institutions for elders living in areas such as Luchaogang, Xinchang, Huinan and Datuan this year.
Last year, education expenses from the district and its town level governments totaled 370 million yuan, up 16.27 percent year on year.
At the same time, the district purchased 4,650 computers worth 22 million yuan for each school and training center.
This year, the district has bought anti-virus software and established multimedia networks in schools for long-distance Web education program.
The district is near the city's two key transport points - Pudong International Airport and Yangshan Deep Water Port. That proximity is expected to accelerate Nanhui's economic growth in industries like logistics, exports, imports, travel and transport.
The first phase of Yangshan Deep Water Port will add five berths with an expected throughput of 2.2 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) when completed at the end of 2005.