8. Hope Scheme helps 1.25 million children back to school
   http://www.chinanews.com/news/9604/03/040303aa.eng
  
  Beijing, April 3 (CNS) --- The Hope Scheme has helped build
  over 2,000 primary schools in China and see 1.25 million
  children return to school since it was established.
  
  According to White Paper on the Situation of Chinese Children
  issued by the Information Office under the State Council today,
  RMB 690 million had been raised for this purpose by the end of
  1995.
  
  This charity programme aims to sponsor  children in
  underdeveloped regions to go to school as part of the nation's
  modernisation process.
  
  The white paper says that governments at all levels have paid
  greater  attention  to the implementation of the Scheme which is
  included in local poverty relief .
  
  Various measures have been adopted to bring school-age children
  back to the classroom.  At the same time, people in all walks of
  life have lent a hand to families who can not afford to send their
  children to school.
  
  The Central Government has decided, says the Paper, to earmark
  RMB 10 billion to improve primary and secondary education
  facilities in poor areas  over the next five years.
  
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  CNS 0403-03