Chen Baosheng, an expert from the Shanghai-based Tongji University and a member of an investigation team under the Ministry of Construction, confirmed speculation of quality problems in the Juyuan Middle School in Dujiangyan. Its collapse buried 900 in the quake.

"The steel reinforcement rods in the building's concrete were too thin," he said.

"I am saddened about this fact. Children are our nation's future and the quality standard of schools should definitely be higher," said sociologist Ding Yuanzhu from Beijing University.

"If we can turn back the clock and had paid more attention to the qualities of school buildings, more students would have survived," said a netizen nicknamed Liuli Suiyue. "Hopefully, this tragedy would make people reflect on the quality issue."

Wu Zhongmin, a professor with the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, noted the reconstruction of belief was also important in rebuilding the homeland of the quake-affected area.

"Such policies could help boost the trust of people to the society," he said, "especially as they are related to children. The attitude to children in a country reflects its governing concept."

(Xinhua News Agency June 1, 2008)