This Day, That Year

Item from Sept 6, 1985, in China Daily: The government is pumping an estimated 60 million yuan into an ambitious education program for the Tibet autonomous region, where nearly 80 percent of the people cannot read or write. The program includes sending 1,300 students annually to the interior for middle school education and providing housing and book subsidies for all Tibetan middle school students to encourage parents to send their children to school.

The central government’s support over the past decades has gradually lifted Tibet out of illiteracy.

By the end of 2015, the illiteracy rate among the young and middle-aged in the region was a mere 0.52 percent down from 95 percent in 1951, according to the local government.

In 2007, Tibet became the first place in the country to enjoy free nine-year compulsory education, and in 2012, it was the first place in China where students were entitled to 15 years of free education. It has ensured that the families of young Tibetans are not financially burdened by sending their children to school.

Since 2014, the central government has earmarked more than 4 billion yuan ($612 million) to improve education in agricultural and pastoral areas in the region.

The fund has been used for renovation and purchasing equipment for 1,034 schools in 74 counties and districts.

The local authorities also planned to allocate 6.7 billion yuan from 2014 to 2018 in education projects including building schools and playgrounds covering 1.56 million square meters.