China is expected to popularize nine-year compulsory education in areas with 85 percent of its total population next year, with primary school education available in the remaining areas, said Peng Peiyun, vice- chairwoman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee..

Up until last year, 2,242 of China's 2,862 counties had been assessed as qualified in their work to popularize nine-year compulsory education, covering a 73 percent of the total population, Peng told the ongoing the 13th session of the 9th NPC Standing Committee.

Since the "Compulsory Education Law" was initiated in 1986, China has made great achievements in popularizing compulsory education, which is reflected in increased education funds, and improved school facilities and quality of teachers, she said.

Statistics shows that the Chinese government spent more than 150 billion yuan on compulsory education in 1998, an 18-fold increase compared with 1986. As a result, the country's total area of dilapidated classroom buildings has reduced by a big margin, from accounting for 17 percent of the total in 1986 to two percent last year.

The average salary of primary and high school teachers also increase to 7,440 yuan last year from 1,345 yuan in 1986, along with improvement in their housing.

However, China still faces numerous challenges in implementing nine-year compulsory education, Peng said, adding that some local governments still pay little attention to promoting education.

The NPC Standing Committee has suggested the State Council and educational departments to draft out a long-term plan for popularizing compulsory education nationwide up to the year 2010.