Li Urges Education Equality

Premier Li Keqiang has called for promoting education equality during a visit to students from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region who are studying in Dalian, Liaoning Province.

Li visited Dalian No 20 Senior High School on Monday, a day before Teachers' Day.

Li listened to a report that outlined teaching arrangements and the Xinjiang students' achievements.

He also watched the students' dance performance and applauded their vitality and professionalism.

After being told that many Xinjiang students in the school were born into poor families, Li urged the school to share its teaching experiences, and encouraged eastern regions with abundant educational resources to give more support to underdeveloped central and western regions.

"We should strive to realize education equality and ensure all children receive an education," he said.

Li's visit came soon after he presided over the first plenary meeting of the country's leading group on education, science and technology on Aug 29. He urged education authorities at the meeting to come up with more methods and work to promote fairness in education.

Education should be a priority in the country's development, Li said. He said that more educational resources should be allocated to the country's relatively underdeveloped regions, more good teachers should be encouraged to teach in those areas, and more teachers in western regions should receive further training in eastern regions.

"Xinjiang is a good place, and its future will be brighter. Knowledge is a kind of superenergy," Li told the students. "You should be confident to learn well and lift your hometown out of poverty with your knowledge."