Muslim largest community in China to popularize preschool education in 10 years

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - China’s largest Muslim community, the northwestern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, plans to popularize preschool education to 95 percent of children by 2020.The underdeveloped region will promote quality education to preschoolers aged from 3 to 6 and increase preschool attendance rate from 50.9 percent in 2010 to 95 percent in 10 years, according to the regional government’s plan on children’s development for the 2011-2020 period.Beginning this year, Ningxia will build more government-run nurseries and kindergartens, particularly in the countryside, to make preschool education accessible and affordable for the rural families, the document said.By 2020, preschool education institutions will be available in every village, and the local government will finance kindergarten education for orphans, the disabled, and children from needy families. By then, at least 71 percent of Ningxia’s 3-year-olds and 95 percent of 6-year-olds will be receiving formal preschool education.Most Chinese children start primary school at 6./129