Reform to integrate compulsory education in urban and rural areas and improve education in rural areas will be implemented, according to a circular issued by the State Council on July 11.

The reform is set to break down educational gaps between urban and rural areas and coordinate compulsory education with urbanization at the county level by 2020, further improving the quality and equality of compulsory education.

To make sure students can go to school in nearby neighborhoods, local governments should build schools while carrying out residential construction projects, the State Council said.

In addition, schools will be placed in rural areas where transportation is convenient and public services have already been established.

Training will be provided to principals and teachers in rural schools and teachers in urban schools will be selected on job rotations in rural schools.

The education standards of boarding schools and small rural schools will be improved and subsidies on them will be increased accordingly.

In some rural schools, a class used to have more than 60 students. To solve that problem, the reform is set to cancel big classes that are crowded with more than 56 students by 2020, providing students with a better education environment.

Local governments should also carry out preferential income policies for rural teachers and improve living subsidies for teachers working in impoverished rural areas, making sure the income level of rural teachers is not lower than their counterparts who teach in counties and towns, according to the State Council.

School admission policies will be further reformed to enable children to enjoy education at cities where their parents obtained residential permits.

More care and protection will be devoted to left-behind children in rural areas. Parents are encouraged to send their children to cities where they work, as long as they are granted local residential permits.