Chinese State Councilor Chen Zhili Monday called on government officials to further their efforts in abolishing arbitrary fees in education.

At a national teleconference on rectifying education fees, Chen said governments at all levels should shoulder the responsibility of reducing such unauthorized fees and continue to promote "one fee for all" in compulsory education, which includes all charges and forbids added fees.

Efforts should be made to build and improve a system to punish and prevent random costs in education through promoting education, in strict compliance with regulations and supervision, she said.

The governments should increase its educational input to give more financial support to compulsory education, especially in rural areas, and poor students, said the former education minister.

Chen also called on the whole society to help create a sound environment whereby education can develop healthily under the supervision of the general public.
 
(Xinhua News Agency February 22, 2005)