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Mr. Zhai Chongbi, the party chief of Shipai, declared at a news conference on August 25 that its government will offer 25 years' of free education from kindergarten to doctoral degree to its residents by administering educational subsidies. |
The local government of Shipai Township in Dongguan has been under the spotlight since it announced on August 25 that it will offer its residents free education from kindergarten to doctoral degree. It is the first local government in China to make the commitment.
Mr. Zhai Chongbi, the party chief of Shipai, declared at a news conference Wednesday that its government will offer 25 years' of free education from kindergarten to doctoral degree to its residents by administering educational subsidies.
According to him, students in kindergartens and high schools will receive an annual subsidy of 3,000 yuan. College students will receive 4,000 yuan and undergraduates 5,000 yuan per year. Postgraduates and those who are pursuing doctoral degrees are eligible to 8,000 yuan and 10,000 respectively. These subsidies equate to the current tuition fees of most educational institutions in China.
Students in primary schools and junior high schools will not receive any subsidies because they are already recieving free education under the national nine-year compulsory education policy which is implemented throughout mainland China.
The policy is expected to benefit approximately 3,500 students in Shipai and increase the government's budgeted spending by 15 million yuan this year.
(By Morvin Chow)
