Parents 'forced' to pay for new school

Updated: 2011-10-11 17:41

(chinadaily.com.cn)

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A parent claims more than 100 rural school pupils' parents in Juancheng, Shandong province are being "forced" to donate money for the construction of a new school, China National Radio reported.

Chen Anwei, the head of the local education committee of the town where the primary school is located, said they don't have enough money to complete the construction of the new primary school campus and have asked villagers to pay 85 yuan ($13.3) each.

A villager surnamed Liu said that the money should be covered by the village government, but they do not have enough money so they are "forcing" villagers to donate by threatening pupils will lose classes.

But Chen denied the allegation.

"Our county can only cover the cost for the new teaching building, so we ask the villagers to donate 85 yuan each for the construction of the walls of the yard and the school gate. We did not force anyone to donate but just call on them to do so. They are so mean to say that we forced them." Chen said.

Lao Kaisheng, a professor of Capital Normal University, said that according to the Compulsory Education Law, the local government should cover all education's cost, including the construction of the campus and to force local residents to donate money is illegal.