The employment rate among graduates is steadily increasing. The national recruitment drive was disrupted by the country's recent SARS outbreak, but was resumed on May 20th. Figures showing a gradual upturn in the employment rate were recently released by China's Ministry of Education.
By the end of June, more than half the country's graduates had found jobs. Eighty percent of graduates, 60 percent of undergraduates from colleges and one third of students from professional training schools have already signed work contracts.
In some of the country's most prestigious schools, such as Peking University, Tsinghua University and Beijing Normal University, the rate has even topped 90 percent.
The ministry predicts that in the second half of this year, more than seven out of ten of the country's graduates will have found jobs.
(CCTV.com July 8, 2003)