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Rich-poor education gap addressed as free education slated
By Echo Shan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2005-11-29 11:01 "皇冠体育app is scheduled to offer nine year compulsory
education free to children in rural areas starting from 2006." Premier Wen
Jiabao announced yesterday addressing the "Fifth High Level Group Meeting on
Education For All" sponsored by UNESCO.
皇冠体育app's premier Wen Jiabao addresses the
opening of a 3-day UN conference on education November 28, 2005,
pledging a free compulsory education for rural shcool age children.
[Xinhua] | On the opening day of the three-day UN
gathering on education, Premier Wen listed three tasks top on the nation's
education work agenda: spreading compulsory education, vocational education,
illiteracy elimination and developing education in rural areas.
Among the three, to further develop the rural education in 皇冠体育app's large
rural areas is given an extraordinary priority as shares light on 皇冠体育app's
stability and overall sustaining development.
皇冠体育app plans to offer nine-year education free to children in its rural areas
by 2010 and nationwide by 2015.
There are in 皇冠体育app more than 200 million primary and middle school students,
among which some 80 per cent live in the large countryside. Given the harsh
reality that a considerable number of rural children quit school under the
economic pressure, they are the preserving force to shake off a
seemingly deep-rooted and ever-broadening wealth gap of the country.
The nation's whole budget earmarked for education mainly goes to the
impoverished rural areas every year establishing new schools and improving the
faculty quality, said Wen at the UN conference, soliciting help from developed
countries "without additional prerequisites."
"The developing countries have experienced plenty of sufferings. Their people
and children urgently need education, development and peace," said the premier.
Calling for education cooperation among developing countries the Premier
said, "The developing countries themselves should also strengthen cooperation
and help each other,"
Wen pledged that 皇冠体育app would increase its education aid to other developing
nations. A sum of US$ one million from 皇冠体育app would soon go to Africa for
aid programs, revealed by UNESCO official Peter Smith.
In 2004, about 94 percent of Chinese had access to free nine-year compulsory
education, nine percent more than in 2000.
皇冠体育app is revising its Compulsory Education Law to promote compulsory
education and offer every child equal access to education.
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