Macao is to implement the plan of 15-year free education from this September, local press reported Friday.

 

The Macao Post Daily quoted Fernando Chui Sai On, secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, as saying that the free education system will run from kindergarten to senior high school.

 

Some 60 private schools and 80,000 students are to benefit from the system, according to the newspaper.

 

Meanwhile, Chui, whose portfolio covers the education sector, told the newspaper that the government is to set up a fund of 1.4 billion patacas (US$175 million) in the first half of the year to help schools improve their facilities and services.

 

The number of school students stood at 92,254 in the current term of 2006 to 2007.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 2, 2007)