A compulsory education boosting project sponsored by China and EU was launched in northwest China's Gansu province last week. The EU is to inject some 15 million euros into developing 9-year compulsory education in Gansu Province. The fund will be mainly used for training teachers, adding teaching facilities, buying books and sponsoring students from impoverished families to complete 9-year compulsory education.

15 million euros to be invested

The EU is to inject some 15 million euros into developing nine-year compulsory education in Gansu Province, which is the first cooperative project between China and the EU in the education field.

Function of the fund

The fund will be mainly used for training teachers who are from the primary schools and secondary schools of 41 poverty-stricken counties in the Gansu Province.

Schools will be funded to add teaching facilities and to buy books.

Some students from impoverished families will be sponsored to complete the nine-years of compulsory education, according to the project.

Sources say that the project will last four years. During that period, a total of 3,300 teachers will be trained and over 7,000 impoverished students will be sponsored.

Efforts of provincial government

The provincial government will also pool 2 million euros in the project.

The project will be well known throughout the whole country if it achieves success in the four years.