A sub-project under a Sino-Australian program was recently launched in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to train teachers on AIDS, drugs and sexual diseases.

A fund of 500,000 yuan (US$60,409) will be used to carry out the sub-project, according to officials with the educational authorities of Xinjiang. It will be divided into two phases -- first, training educational officials and leaders of local elementary and middle schools, and second, training health teachers and teachers in charge of a class.

The final goal of the Sino-Australian program is to make sure students have basic knowledge and so avoid AIDS and drugs, according to the officials.

The five-year program was first launched in April 2002 with an estimated investment of AU$22 million. The Australian government contributed AU$15 million and the Chinese government AU$7 million.

(Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2003)