国内英语新闻:China increases financial support for special education

BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The government has raised basic financial support for primary and junior middle schools catering to disabled students to 6,000 yuan (926.40 U.S. dollars) per child every year from 4,000 yuan, according to the Ministry of Education.

The move underlines China's commitment to free primary and middle school education for at least 90 percent of children with visual, hearing and learning disabilities by the end of 2016, up from the 71.9 percent in 2012.

As part of a 2014 plan on special needs education, the government promised more investment, infrastructure, quality teachers and a new curricula.

Meanwhile, general primary schools in east China will receive 650 yuan annually for every student they have and junior high schools will get 850 yuan. The same funds for schools in underdeveloped western regions are 50 yuan less, the ministry said in a statement Friday.

Such funds are for the daily operations of schools across the nine-year compulsory education, additional subsidies are available for students from poor backgrounds.

Based on these standards, which will take effect next year, more than 11 billion yuan (1.7 billion U.S. dollars) has been allocated from the central budget to ensure the smooth operation of primary and junior middle schools in urban areas for the 2016 spring semester, the ministry added.