China Education Television (CETV) is to open a new satellite channel to offer educational services and vocational training for primary and middle school students, teachers, and migrant workers beginning on March 2.

The Ministry of Education, the CETV's sponsor, announced on Wednesday that the "Air Classroom"channel will broadcast four hours of on-campus extra-curricular activities, 6.5 hours of high-quality lessons by well-known teachers, and another four hours of teachers' training programs.

"The timetable of the channel is scheduled in accord with that of schools to enable students and teachers to watch," said the CETV's editor-in-chief Chen Li.

The new channel will also leave 15 percent of its time free for vocational education and training programs for migrant workers.

A temporary "Air Classroom"channel was initiated in May 2003 when millions of primary and middle school students had to stay at home because of the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic.

In May 2008, the channel was again put into use for students in areas hit by the massive earthquake in southwest China.

The new channel would be responsible for providing distance training programs for 350,000 teachers in 100 counties in the under-developed central and western areas during this summer vacation, Chen said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2009)