Top legislator Li Peng called for establishing a legal network to
direct the booming number of private-education institutions.
In
the latest inspection tour to North China's Hebei Province and
Tianjin Municipality, Li said there were problems that need to be
immediately addressed regarding private-education institutions, but
he did not elaborate on what they were.
He
did say privately funded education is an integral part of China's
education system. These institutions nurture human talent, he
said.
"Promoting the healthy growth of privately funded education
contributes to the overall development of national education," said
Li, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's
Congress, China's top legislature.
Investors should be allowed to see legitimate economic returns in
this sector which will help encourage more private involvement in
education.
But Li also warned that profit-seeking should not become the sole
target of such businesses.
During the tour, Li also noted that more needs to be done to
promote public welfare in the fundamental interests of the
people.
He
highlighted the development of tourism, catering and community
service to expand job access for citizens. He also said the social
security network needs to be further expanded.
Li
was heading a delegation of legislators to solicit grassroots
response to a drafted law on promoting privately funded education
institutions, which has become a topic of controversy in the
nation.
The draft bill has been reviewed three times by the Standing
Committee of the National People's Congress, but opinion is still
split on some issues regarding the law.
To
learn more about public views on the law, Li visited several middle
schools and universities, some of which are privately funded, and
heard from students and faculty members on the matter.
During the tour, Li also visited communities in Tianjin
Municipality to check on growth in urban building renovation, water
network upgrades, transportation grid improvements and service
industry changes.
He
urged governmental authorities of Tianjin to take more action in
caring for laid-off, unemployed and destitute residents and to
expand social security.
"We need to create more job opportunities, develop the service
industry, and promote tourism, catering and community services that
can provide more jobs for the residents," Li said.
The country has been making efforts nationwide to create more jobs
for urban and rural surplus labor, a burdensome task that is likely
to linger during the coming years.
(China Daily December 2, 2002)