Chinese education leads developing countries
16/9/2003 14:47
China's compulsory nine-year education program has reached 91 percent
of the population by the end of last year, with the enrollment rate in
junior middle school reaching 90 percent, said, Minister of Education
Zhou Ji today.
Chinese people receive education for an average of eight
years,
exceeding the average level worldwide. China is playing a leading
role among
developing countries, Zhou said.
However, education in Chinese
suburban areas is still backward, with
the people aged 15 receiving
education for fewer than seven years, nearly
three years less than those in
the urban areas.
Fewer than one percent of workers in the suburbs have an
associate
degree, 13 percent lower than in urban areas.
To date, China
has 85 million illiterates and semi-literates, with
three-fourths in suburbs
of the west, minority areas and state-level
poverty-stricken counties, Zhou
said.
China has poured more educational funds into the suburbs, with
investments increasing from 43 billion yuan (US$5.2 billion) in 1997 to 99
billion yuan last year.
The educational management system in the
suburban areas will focus on
counties instead of the villages and towns,
with the government to offer
financial support for suburban education rather
than farmers themselves
raising funds to enhance
education.
Wendy Zhang/ Shanghai Daily news
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