Schools vulnerable to quakes

Beijing will finish reinforcing and rebuilding its 3,000 schools and kindergartens against major earthquakes in three years, the government's construction commission said yesterday.

Experts said the multi-billion yuan project is the largest revamp of schools in Beijing in recent years. It is also part of a national campaign to strengthen the majority of China's schools following last year's Sichuan earthquake.

The central government said at least 5,335 students were dead or reported missing after 11,687 schools collapsed during the 8.0-scale earthquake in Sichuan province on May 12 last year.