China to Push Forward Education in Qualities 　　China has decided to push forward education in qualities of students which encourage originality in them and improve their practical abilities. 　　The decision was announced earlier this week by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council. 　　In a special report, the CPC pointed out that education in qualities should be available to all students, and a favorable environment created for their development. The decision also stresses that teachers should encourage independent thinking and a creative spirit amongst students. 　　The decision was aimed at establishing a vigorous socialist educational system with Chinese characteristics, and paving the way for implementing the policy of revitalizing the nation with science and education. 　　All schools must carry out education in patriotism, collectivism, socialism, and excellent cultural traditions of the Chinese nation, the decision said. 　　A particularly important aspect of the decision is to create a channel for nurturing qualified staff and workers in the future by combining education with labor. 　　The CPC called on society to provide conditions for schools to promote and encourage laboring activities, scientific research and a range of socially connected activities. 　　Meanwhile, China is to gradually increase its funding for education which will eventually account for 4 percent of the country's gross domestic product. 　　Part of this strategy involves local governments shouldering some of the responsibility by increasing their own education budgets and giving priority to educational development. 　　Several of the main elements of the education master plan stress that the healthy development of both the body and mind of students has to be guaranteed, and that the legitimate interests and rights of students and teachers should be well protected. 　　"The Central government decided to raise the ratio of education expenditure in the annual fiscal budget by 1 percentage point each year from 1998 to 2002. Provincial governments should also increase their own funding in accordance with their own financial situations," the decision said. 　　The government encourages various methods of financially supporting the development of education, such as the introduction of insurance and loan schemes as well as improving scholarship programs, and fund-raising activities by enterprises and individuals. 　　The decision also pointed out that China needs more laws and rules regulating the quality of education. 　　Vocational higher education is to be given priority in China to produce much needed trained personnel for the manufacturing and construction sectors and in business management as well as for various roles in rural areas. 　　There are also intentions to raise the university rate of enrollment from the current 9 percent to around 15 percent by the year 2010. 　　According to the report, staff moving into commercial activities must have acquired the necessary theoretical knowledge and demonstrate certain practical capabilities. 　　The existing vocational colleges, independently-run adult colleges and higher vocational schools will be gradually transformed into vocational technical colleges. 　　The joint report also stressed that higher educational institutions and secondary vocational schools should implement a flexible study system and widen the age limit for university enrollment. 　　The decision also called for the promotion of distant-learning education and called for improved teaching standards in higher education. 　　Meanwhile, the report said that higher education institutions will be granted more administrative power and more freedom in student enrollment as well as for introducing specialty subjects. They will also be allowed to jointly run colleges in other provinces or municipalities. 　　To meet growing public demand for higher education, the report also encourages the establishment of non-government-run vocational establishments. 　　Universities will also be encouraged to operate high-tech ventures,and commercial enterprises will be encouraged to establish research organizations within academic institutions. This should result in China establishing several first-rate world-class universities. 　　Stress has also been placed on the importance of promoting the nine-year compulsory education system and the elimination of illiteracy among the young and middle-aged. 　　These elements are the basis for the promotion of education in qualities and local governments should give them priority. 　　The report has also called for expanding the scale of high-school education and higher education which will be gradually popularized in cities and developed rural areas. (xinhua) Indepth 1999-06-17 Page1 Full Story in Chinese