The Ministry of Education said Chinese boys and girls now have equal opportunities in education, with their primary school enrollment rate up to 98.62 percent and 98.53 percent respectively, according to Wednesday's China Daily.

Improving basic education has always been a key task of governments in China, the ministry said in its annual report.

According to the newspaper, China's enrollment ratio of school-age children in 965 reached 84.7 percent, a rise of 65 percentage points on 1949.

Ministry sources said 98 percent of school-age children in regions dominated by ethnic minorities are now enrolled at school and the number is equal to the national average number.

(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2003)