BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Many Chinese colleges and
universities are owed millions of yuan because students are unable to, or choose
not to, pay back tuition loans, the Ministry of Education said on Monday.
"We have found that many universities and colleges
have several million yuan of defaulted tuition fees, some have nearly a
billion," Cui Bangyan, a senior ministry official said at a press conference in
Beijing.
Cui said that the average annual tuition charge for
one college student on the Chinese mainland has remained between 4,000 and 4,500
yuan (513 and 577 U.S. dollars) since 2000, but some majors, particularly at
prestigious universities, could cost far more.
"Even the average 4,000 to 4,500 yuan can be a heavy
burden for a student coming from some rural, remote or minority regions," Cui
said, noting that a college student may spend more than 10,000 yuan a year
including tuition, accommodation and other costs.
Cui also said some students pretend they can not
afford to pay back the loans or make up excuses as to why they can not clear
their debts.
In 1999, China's education authority increased the
size of the enrolment to its higher educational institutions, allowing around 5
million students to go to college each year.
Loans are available to poor students and the
government pays the interest on the loan, which has to be paid back in full
before graduation.
"Paying tuition on time is an obligation of every
college student," Cui said, "if he or she can't afford it, the college,
government and the ministry will help him to finish his or her studies."
"Government aid does not mean a free higher
education," he affirmed.
"College students should be honest when applying for
a grant or loan, Cui said.
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