Education Minister Zhou Ji said at the annual working meeting of the Ministry of Education held Sunday that apart from the 5 billion yuan earmarked for regular transfer payment, salary transfer payment, education outlays in the transfer payment of taxes and charges reform and special funds for teaching personnel, the central financial department has arranged 10 billion yuan for the compulsory education in rural areas in 2004. Compared with the 5.8 billion yuan last year the funds increased by 72 percent.

By People's Daily Online