In 1985, the government issued policies to revamp this system, announcing that military training in the schools would be gradually transformed to serve educational purposes.

In central China's Hunan province, the excitement of going to school was not only about knowledge, but also food.

In central China's Hunan province, the excitement of going to school was not only about knowledge, but also food. Management reform injected incentives for restaurants on the campus to compete for more money. The restaurants were contracted to people outside of the school. Although the picture here suggests a great deal still could be done to improve hygiene, a menu to choose from five vegetable dishes and five meat dishes was undeniably mouth watering.

Traditionally, education occupies a high position in the Chinese value system. However, during the cultural revolution, intellectuals were purged as counter revolutionaries. Students dropped out of school and were sent to the countryside for hard work.

It was not until 1985 when the government published its first policy, defining the objectives of education to train professionals, and develop science and technology. The government also decided to loosen government control of schools, acknowledging their independence, and allowing education reforms to adapt to social and economic changes.

(CCTV November 27, 2008)