Relatively poor western and rural areas will receive priority in developing education over the next four years, with the central government allocating 10 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) each year to the areas.

This unprecedentedly large allocation reflects the central government's determination to fully propel educational development in western areas so as to help advance the economy there, Minister of Education Zhou Ji said at a news conference Wednesday in Beijing.

The event was held by the State Council Information Office to outline a new plan for revitalizing education for the 2003-07 period.

By 2007, the number of people in a dozen 12 western provinces or autonomous regions, who receive primary up to middle school educations, will reach 85 per cent from the present 75 per cent, according to the plan.

By 2007, cash-strapped students in rural and mountainous areas will be exempt from tuition, textbook expenses and fees for boarding schools, in an effort to avoid dropouts from schools, said Zhou.

China's better developed eastern areas have been attempting to popularize primary and middle school education.

But western and rural education, where 64 per cent of the population resides, is not properly emphasized.

Zhou said redoubling efforts will develop specialized programs to equip farming families with updated agricultural skills.

The ministry will contribute more to open vocational courses for employees in industrial sectors and laid-off workers to help them seek better paying jobs, said Zhou.

Touching on the issue of international co-operation, Zhou said his ministry will support domestic universities that collaborate with international schools on scientific research projects and training.

China has signed agreements with Britain, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand to recognize academic degrees. Zhou said the country plans to sign similar agreements with others.

Sending more Chinese students abroad and receiving more international students here is an important part of the country's international exchanges, Zhou added.

In another development, the Ministry of Education has decided to assist more self-supported Chinese students studying abroad with governmental scholarships this year.

For the first time, governmental scholarships were granted to 95 self-supporting Chinese students last year who studied in the United States, Japan, Britain, France and Germany. Each of them will get US$5,000 bonus.

Before that, governmental scholarship were only given to government-funded students.

(China Daily March 25, 2004)