China's 'Education for All' effort fruitful in 30 years

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-09 22:07

In 2006, it amended its Law on Compulsory Education to exempt all school charges for students. This was first adopted in rural areas of the backward western parts of the country in 2006 and nationwide in 2007.

This year, 16 provinces, municipalities and ethnic autonomous regions, as well as five big cities in provincial financial powers, became pilot areas to test the free compulsory education for urban students of elementary and middle schools.

While making great efforts to reach its goal of "Education for All", the government has also encouraged students to study abroad. The number of Chinese studying overseas rose from 860 in 1978 to 144,500 in 2007. So far, 319,700 students have returned home after graduating from foreign schools.

In addition, China has opened up its door to overseas students. Over the past 30 years, 1.23 million students from more than 180 countries and regions have studied in domestic schools of various kinds.

Currently, it has signed agreements on educational cooperation and exchanges with 188 foreign countries and regions, while the Chinese government has agreed with the governments of 33 countries and regions to mutually recognize diplomas issued by their schools.

The successful reforms and increasingly higher international status have made the Chinese language more attractive and useful to foreigners. So far, the number of foreigners studying Mandarin is claimed to exceed 30 million.

To date, 262 Confucius Institutes have been set up in 77 foreign countries and regions to spread the Chinese culture. In addition, 46 foreign countries and regions have held the Chinese Proficiency Test known as HSK.

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