Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is investing 2.12 billion yuan (about US$298.6 million) in education this year, 67.9 percent higher than 2007, an official said on Tuesday.

The increase is the highest in history, a local official said.

The investment will mainly be in compulsory education. About 650 million yuan was invested before the current semester and 770 million yuan more was earmarked to support compulsory education, according to the official.

Inner Mongolia will realize free compulsory education in both urban and rural areas this year, said Yang Jing, Inner Mongolia chairman, in a regional government work report.

Free compulsory education schoolbooks will be provided to all students in rural and pasturing areas. Tuition fees will be abolished in urban areas starting this autumn, Yang said.

According to the local official, subsidies will increase and 2.6 million middle and elementary school students will benefit.

Vocational and higher education are also included in the plan. About 87.5 million yuan and 320 million yuan, respectively, will be invested for subsidies, teacher training, and key research projects.

About 3.8 billion yuan has been invested into education in Inner Mongolia since 1993. About five million square meters of schools have been built or rebuilt and more than 84,700 teachers were trained between 1998 and 2006, according to the local government.

(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2008)