Chinese Education Minister Zhou Ji said here Tuesday that the government plans to increase financial support to rural households to ensure compulsory education for their children.

Zhou said education in rural areas was a top priority for the government.

Under a ministry plan, at least 160 million rural children would be ensured the minimum nine years of education, which is already afforded to urban Chinese.

In the underdeveloped western region, Zhou said, 85 percent of school-age children would be supported in their education in the next five years. Meanwhile, the illiteracy rate would drop to 5 percent, he said.
 
(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2004)