BEIJING, Aug. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- China is expected to invest a total of 10 billion yuan (1.22 billion US dollars) to help build 4,852 lodging schools in the rural areas of its 23 middle or western provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities from 2004 to 2007, according to joint circular issued by several of China's ministries.

    The huge investment will make it possible for local governments to construct, revamp or expand more than 9,214,200 square meters of school dormitories which could home million of students.

    The spending is one of the core parts of China's ongoing move of popularizing a nine-year compulsory education in the country's central or western regions.

    The circular also urges local governments increase the proportion of education cost in local financing and work out favorable policies to ensure all the money be actually used for school purposes.

    It also encourages enterprises to donate money for the schools, but warns that no arable land could be randomly set aside for school uses.

    At the same time, training courses should be opened to help lift capability of school masters and related work be regularly carried out to safeguard safety of the schools, it said. Enditem