2017年CRI China's fiscal funds for education grew 7.9 pct annually from 2012 to 2016

 

New stats show funding for education in China has been growing by nearly 8-percent annually¹ since 2012.

At the same time, enrollment³ rates have also been on the rise through the same period.

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A report delivered to China's top legislature, the National People's Congress Standing⁴ Committee, shows China's education spending rose 7.9 percent annually on average from 2012 to 2016.

The report shows the overall funding for education through 2016 reached 3.9 trillion yuan, over 80 percent of which was provided by the government.

Chinese Minister of Finance Xiao Jie says a vast majority of the funds provided through 2016 have gone to impoverised areas, with 84 percent going to central and western regions.

"The ratio of spending for education compared to the GDP has exceeded four percent for five years in a row. Half of the funds have been used for nine-year compulsory⁵ education. In 2016, for example, 1.6 trillion yuan was spent on compulsory education, making up 52.8 percent of total education spending. It shows the core position of the government when it comes to compulsory education. Over half of that spending has gone to central and western regions, especially to countryside," Xiao said.

Since 2012, 698 billion yuan of financial aid has been granted to students from impoverished⁶ families, especially from central and western regions. [Photo: VCG]

Since 2012, 698 billion yuan of financial aid has been granted to students from impoverished families, especially from central and western regions. [Photo: baidu.com]

The report also suggests the government will continue to give priority to education, with allocations expected to increase.

But at the same time, the government is also calling for more investment from the private sector⁷, suggesting non-public education can be a sound investment.

Xiao Jie says his officials have been making headway in dealing⁸ with improperly⁹ used funding on local levels.

"When it comes to education transfer payments from the central government to local governments, we have been forced to cancel, rearrange and take-over just nine allocations this past year," noted¹⁰ Xiao.

"This is down from the 23 special transfer payments we had to deal with in 2013. In cooperation with the Ministry¹¹ of Education and other related departments, the Ministry of Finance is still able to put out funds through our current quotas¹²."

In 2016, enrollment rates for elementary schools came in at just under 100-percent.

Nine-year compulsory education guarantees the  enrollment of every child for the primary school. [Photo: VCG]

Nine-year compulsory education guarantees the  enrollment of every child for the primary school. [Photo: VCG]

Senior middle-school enrollment hit 87.5 percent last year, while 42.7 percent of high-school graduates were able to enroll² in some form of higher education.

Figures also show over 80 percent of children of migrant workers were able to receive education in cities where their parents work.

Xiao Jie says the stats show that the overall development of education in China has stood at a moderately high level compared with other countries in the world.

"In 2016, the enrollment for different levels of education surpassed the average level of some middle and high income countries. University education has been able to put over 8-million people into work in our society on an annual basis; vocational schools are also putting 10 million technical workers on the job. People from rural areas are also being given access to high quality education," Xiao added.

The report also suggests that pre-school, special and online education options do need to be improved.

Authorities are also going to put a priority on trying to ensure that more middle school students make the step into high schools.

Additional funding is also going to be earmarked for old revolutionary bases, ethnic¹³ minority areas and border areas.

1 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

2 enroll   

v.招收；登记；入学；参军；成为会员（英)enrol

参考例句：

• I should like to enroll all my children in the swimming class.我愿意让我的孩子们都参加游泳班。
• They enroll him as a member of the club.他们吸收他为俱乐部会员。

3 enrollment   

n.注册或登记的人数；登记

参考例句：

• You will be given a reading list at enrollment.注册时你会收到一份阅读书目。
• I just got the enrollment notice from Fudan University.我刚刚接到复旦大学的入学通知书。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 compulsory   

n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的

参考例句：

• Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
• Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。

6 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

9 improperly   

不正确地，不适当地

参考例句：

• Of course it was acting improperly. 这样做就是不对嘛！
• He is trying to improperly influence a witness. 他在试图误导证人。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

12 quotas   

（正式限定的）定量( quota的名词复数 )； 定额； 指标； 摊派

参考例句：

• In fulfilling the production quotas, John made rings round all his fellow workers. 约翰完成生产定额大大超过他的同事们。
• Quotas of the means of production are allocated by the higher administrative bodies to the lower ones. 物资指标按隶属关系分配。

13 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。