State Council issues guideline on education finance duties

The State Council's General Office issued a reform guideline on the allocation of duties and expenditure responsibility of central and local finance in the education field.

Three aspects are divided in the reform: compulsory education, student subsidies, and other education sectors, including preschool education, high school education, vocational education and higher education.

Central and local governments share fiscal duties in compulsory education. The burden ratio is formulated according to a national basic standard. Central finance shares 80 percent in the first level; 60 percent in the second level; and 50 percent in the third, fourth and fifth levels.

Public funds will be guaranteed. A nationwide unified benchmark quota will be made with more funds for boarding schools.

A national basic standard sponsorship will be set up for boarders who have financial difficulties and minority boarders whose ethnic groups have a small population. Central finance and local finance each takes up 50 percent of the funds.

School building safety is guaranteed. Central and local finance share the fiscal duties for public school buildings in rural areas according to levels and certain proportion.

Standards for public schools in cities will be made by local governments, which should take up the fiscal duty.

A nutritious diet subsidy for students in poverty-stricken areas will be adjusted according to a unified national basic standard. Funds for severe poverty-stricken regions and counties will be sponsored by central finance.

Textbooks for State-prescribed curriculums and dictionaries for first grade students will be provided at no cost. Central finance will cover the expense.

Student sponsorship will cover pre-school education, ordinary high school education, vocational education and higher education. On the whole, central and local finance share fiscal duties.