Funds spent in Beijing to help campus-staying college students

Special Report: Spring Festival Special 2009

BEIJING, Jan. 25 (Chinese media) -- The Beijing municipal

government has allocated 1.45 million yuan (212,300 U.S. dollars) to help

college students who choose to stay in campus during the Spring Festival.

Statistics showed that among all the 14,700 college

students who are staying in campus, 4,800 are from financially stringent

families.

Most of the funds from the municipal government will

go to college managements for additional utilities and maintenance expenses

during the winter recess. Some go directly to subsidize students on budgets for

meals.

The prestigious Tsinghua University, for example,

offers 450 part-time on-campus jobs for students not leaving for home re-union

during the most important festival of the Chinese.

In addition to financial support, many colleges and

universities have prepared students gatherings, tea parties, film shows and free

dinners at the lunar New Year Eve, which falls on Sunday.

Unlike those in the United States, Chinese colleges

usually provide lodging to registered students during summer and winter

recesses. Students choose to stay in campus often prepare their graduate tests

or earn some money for supporting their own education.