12-year compulsory education 'unlikely'

A proposal that China should make education compulsory for its students for a period of 12 years, instead of the current nine, "will not be implemented" in the near future, the chief education official said yesterday.

Minister of Education Zhou Ji told China Daily that the central government was "not considering" extending the duration of compulsory education for the time being.

"The word 'compulsory' means everyone is obliged to attend school for 12 years. We have to give everyone equal education opportunities, and we need more time to implement the proposal," Zhou said, after several National People's Congress (NPC) and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) delegates submitted the proposal at the ongoing sessions, saying it would improve the employment situation.