Photo: VCG

According to a latest regulation, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Northwest China will implement free high school education on December 1, bringing benefits to 857,200 students in the area.

Prior to it, Xinjiang basically realized free education from kindergarten to junior high school. Besides, under the support of central government, four of its ethnic-minority dominated prefectures (Hetian, Kashi, Aksu and Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu) have realized free high school education.

Xinjiang has spared 2.6 billion yuan ($388 million) to promote the free high school education program, incorporating students from disadvantaged families and rural families with low assurance into student support, reports said.

The educational fund in Xinjiang is skewed more towards rural areas and the four prefectures. Based on the policies, Xinjiang will make the best use of the funds and build a mechanism for financial organizations in different levels to co-shoulder high school education funds, ensuring that every child can enjoy fair and high-quality education.

Xinjiang is not the first province in China to comprehensively implement free high school education. Meanwhile, the opinions about whether China should implement free high school education in the whole country vary, and the related programs are still under test.