White Paper on Development and Progress in Xinjiang -Steady Development of Social Programs 

The state gives priority to education for ethnic minorities and has enacted special policies to support its development. To ensure their rights to higher education, the state adopted favorable enrollment policies for ethnic-minority students in the 1950s, now including further policies for proportional enrollment, separate examinations and admission scores. The state has set up primary and secondary boarding schools in farming and pastoral areas, providing free accommodation and food, as well as books and stationery.

Uygur student Kaha er points to himself in a class photo on the first day of the new term at Qibao High School in Shanghai, September 1, 2009. Two thousand students from Xinjiang enrolled at 10 middle schools in Shanghai which offer special classes to give the students a better education. [Xinhua]

Third grader Zulikaer displays his drawing called "Our beautiful Xinjiang" at the No 10 Primary School in Xinjiang, September 1, 2009. [Xinhua]

Newcomers to a primary school smile in Urumqi, Xinjiang, August 29, 2009. [Xinhua]