Tibet Develops Compulsory EducationTwenty-eight of Tibet Autonomous Region's 71 counties have met the requirements for six-year compulsory education, according to the regional education commission.These 28 counties account for 44 percent of Tibet's population, or 1.08 million people. In addition, eight counties have eliminated illiteracy among youngsters and middle-aged people. The population of these eight counties combined is 337,100, accounting for 13.74 percent of Tibet's population. A local education official says that Tibet has a comprehensive education system that includes elementary, secondary, higher and vocational and adult education. Its elementary education system has improved in the past twenty years, and now 83.4 percent of school-aged children are attending school. Tibet now has a total of 3,900 primary and middle schools and plans to meet the goals of six-year compulsory education in all its counties by 2003. According to historical records, before 1951 there was no modern school in Tibet and the illiteracy rate was 97 percent. |
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