775m Chinese students receive financial aid over past decade

A Beijing Chenjinglun High School student studies while she has breakfast in preparation for the national college entrance exam known as the gaokao, May 15, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

BEIJING - A total of 775 million Chinese college and vocational school students received financial help in the past 10 years, according to the Ministry of Education.

The number of students who were subsidized rose from 51.6 million in 2007 to 91.3 million in 2016, representing an average annual increase of 6.55 percent, the ministry published the figures on its website early this week.

The total volume of financial aid reached 1 trillion yuan ($159 billion) during the past decade, with the number at 41.6 billion for 2007 and 168.9 billion for 2016, an average growth of 16.84 percent year-on-year, the ministry said.

It also said that government funding always played a leading role in aid. The figure topped 726 billion yuan over the years, accounting for 68.87 percent of the total.

In May 2007, the State Council issued a document establishing a system of financial aid to college and vocational school students from poor families. It was the first comprehensive and systematic plan on student financial aid.

The aid comes in forms such as tuition fee exemptions, living allowances, scholarships and student loans.

In the past decade, China has created 40 policies and documents on financial help for students, with 29 aid programs, the ministry said.

Currently, financial help is available to students from pre-school kindergartens to post-graduate studies, from public to private schools, and for all families in poverty, the ministry said.