Known for its strong devotion to education, Shipai declared in 2008 that it would work to provide free education to all local students ranging from kindergarten pupils to those who are studying for a doctorate over the next three years.
To date, the town has offered free education from kindergarten to college education, but it plans to make the policy cover college students and students studying for a doctorate degree from September 2010.
As part of the initiative, Shipai will subsidize full-time college diploma students, undergraduate students, those who are studying for a master's degree and those who are studying for a doctorate degree with CNY4,000, CNY6,000, CNY8,000, and CNY10,000 a year, respectively. The total annual cost to the local government will be CNY20 million.
Zhai Chonbi, an official from Shipai town, said that this is a major measure that the town has taken to develop talent.
Currently, most regions in China make provision for the nine years of compulsory education: students' don't have to pay tuition fees for their primary and junior middle school education. However Shipai is the first town in China that has begun to offer 25 years of free education, with kindergarten and post-graduate education included.
