BEIJING — The number of students dropping out of compulsory education in China's impoverished areas has significantly dropped, according to the Ministry of Education.

Data from the ministry says the number of students who drop out of their compulsory education, which covers primary school and junior high school in China, in the country's 832 national-level impoverished counties has dropped from 290,000 at the end of May to 65,000.

To better address the issue, the ministry has organized three nationwide inspections to verify the number of dropouts and set up an online database that records detailed information of the dropout students and is updated in real-time, said the ministry.

The ministry is also providing more free online courses to rural schools, investing more funds in building and renovating rural schools, and making education plans based on the different situations of each student.

In 2018, the net enrollment rate of primary schools nationwide reached 99.95 percent, said the ministry.