Bilingual education in Xinjiang bridging gaps

URUMQI: By 2012, the central government will have invested 4.02 billion yuan ($591 million) in bilingual kindergarten education in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in an attempt to encourage preschool children from ethnic minorities to learn Mandarin in addition to their own language.

Kashgar region, Hotan prefecture, Aksu prefecture and Turpan city are among the 16 key areas targeted by the program that will promote bilingual education among students aged 5 to 7 years, according to a statement released by the region's bureau of education yesterday.

A total of 349,100 children from ethnic minority groups will be educated in bilingual kindergartens by 2012.