by Su Yi

China's Ministry of Education has ordered local governments to slow down combing elementary and middle schools in various rural areas.

The number of elementary schools in China has been falling about 3.8 percent annually since 1978, while the number of middle schools has been dropping 2.6 percent each year.

An editorial in today's "Beijing News" says closing down some rural schools or combining them with others is a good move. It shows a differentiated approach based on students' interests instead of rigid adherence to the policy.

The editorial argues that combining schools is right because the rural population will continue to fall as a result of the one-child policy, increasing migration and urbanization. But the problem is sometimes that the students themselves cannot get benefits. Some have to walk a long way to go to a new school, and some do not have dorm rooms. In some areas, old buildings have already been torn down before new ones are built.

The article argues that these problems have occurred because some local governments don't understand that the real meaning of the policy is to help rural children get a better education. In such a vast country as China, it is naturally not scientific to implement the policy without any differentiation.

The editorial suggests the central government undertake more research on the policy so it can issue more specific guidelines.