More than 250 children from poverty-stricken families will be able to receive elementary education free of any charge including tuition and living expenses in a newly-built school in east China's Zhejiang Province.

Located in Zhoushan City, the school has received a large number of donations from people of all walks of life, in addition to government financial support.

The Putuoshan Buddhist Association, for instance, has donated 10 million yuan (about US$1.2 million) to this project.

As the first of its kind in the province, the school is not only equipped with advanced teaching facilities but also has comfortable accommodation for students.

The school is expected to enroll more children from poor families and provide them with more courses when the project is completed in 2005, sources said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 19, 2002)