Schools should reduce student assignments and encourage them to attend more extracurricular activities, so that they will have time to learn more about society and enhance their sense of social responsibility, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said.   Nov. 22 - The Chinese government will raise the proportion of annual government expenditure on education to 4 percent of the country's GDP, Premier Wen Jiabao has announced.

 

He said government would help further spread and consolidate compulsory education, speed up occupational education, improve education at higher institutes and deepen education reforms.

 

From July to November, Wen presided over four forums on education development with teachers, educational experts, middle school masters, university presidents and officials.

 

"China's economy has maintained high-speed growth for 28 consecutive years and become the fourth largest economy of the world. The country's sustainable development and prosperity hinge on education," Wen said.

 

The government always paid great attention to education. Compulsory education has been launched in rural areas and universities and colleges had enrolled a larger number of students. "The public education demand has been satisfied to some extent.

 

"But we should realize that some problems still exist in education development. We shall promote sustainable and healthy educational development by increasing investment, deepening reform and strengthening management," Wen said.

 

He said the nine-year compulsory education, which was important for promoting social equity and building a harmonious socialist society, should be vigorously extended.

 

Schools should reduce student assignments and encourage them to attend more extracurricular activities, so that they will have time to learn more about society and enhance their sense of social responsibility, he said.

 

Wen said more efforts should be put into developing occupational education, as it would help alleviate the shortage of skilled workers and help more migrant workers and urban unemployed obtain jobs.

 

Educational reform should be deepened in universities and colleges so as to train more university graduates to think of innovation.

 

"China needs high-quality teachers. The government will intensify support for education so as to attract the best people into teaching," he said.

 

He ordered local governments to raise salaries and benefits for teachers in rural areas.