A senior Chinese official on Monday stressed that the scientific concept of development should be persisted in the country's education work next year.

 

"It will help promote a harmonious and healthy development of the educational cause," said Chinese state councilor Chen Zhili at a national conference on the education work.

 

She noted that education should aim to serve the people, promote fairness and contribute to the accumulation of talented and innovative people for the country.

 

She urged local governments and educational departments to focus on reforms of the mechanism guaranteeing funds for nine-year compulsory education in rural areas.

 

Chen said local governments and education departments should set up systems to aid needy students, improve the loan mechanism targeting college students and help children from low-income families in cities and those of migrant rural workers receive education.

 

She also calls for greater efforts to fight against anti-corruption and standardize the items and criteria of fees to prevent schools from overcharge.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2006)