China's Xizang to raise educational subsidy standard

LHASA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- The educational subsidy standard in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region will rise again this year, according to a fiscal report unveiled on Sunday.

The annual subsidy under the "Three Guarantees" policy for education in the region -- providing food, accommodation, and school expenses for preschool to senior high school students from farming and herding households and impoverished urban families -- will increase by 90 yuan (about 12.67 U.S. dollars) to 5,620 yuan per person in 2024, said the report submitted to the second plenary session of the 12th People's Congress of the Xizang Autonomous Region for deliberation.

According to the report issued by the regional department of finance, 746,000 students will benefit from the rising subsidy.

This year, the funds earmarked for education will increase by 8.4 percent to 30.6 billion yuan, the report said.

A 15-year publicly funded educational system and a student financial support system covering preschool through to higher education have been established in the region.

The rise of educational subsidies is among 21 to-do items to improve residents' livelihood as an appendix of the region's government work report.

The other issues on the list include higher healthcare subsidies for urban and rural residents and support for an oxygen supply project in high-altitude areas.