The Chinese Government has allocated 3.69 billion yuan (4.5 billion US dollars) in subsidies in advance for free compulsory education in western part of the country, the Ministry of Finance said Wednesday.

The ministry said the move was designed to help western China to implement the central government's decision that exempts school tuition fees and lncidental charges for primary and junior middle school students and increase funding for education.

The fund has been channeled to 12 provincial regions, Xinjiang Construction Corps and selected provincial regions in central China, the ministry said in a statement posted on its official website.

The fund includes 3.02 billion yuan in subsidies for those schools involved to exempt school fees and incidental charges, and 670 million yuan for school budgetary spending.

China has recently vowed to increase spending on nine-year compulsory education to make sure students in poor regions have access to education.

Source: Xinhua