Financing for education will be increased by the central government in the coming five years, and it eventually will represent 4 percent of the gross domestic product, an official document said.

"Governments at all levels have the responsibility to provide public education, as well as support the development of the private education sector," read the Guidelines for the 11th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development.

The guidelines are being discussed at the annual session of the National People's Congress. The Ministry of Education said the proportion of government education expenditure to the GDP was 3.41 percent in 2002, up from 2.55 percent in 1998.

The new policy, which requires an additional 218.2 billion yuan (US$27.3 billion) in the central government expenditures over five years, is expected to help 160 million school-age rural children, who account for nearly 80 percent of primary and junior middle school students.

"We must implement the strategy of reinvigorating China with science and technology and strengthening the nation with skilled personnel ... and build an innovation-based country with human resources advantages," said the document.