There are 665 elementary and high schools in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality accepting children from migrant worker families without charging the so-called sponsorship fee, the municipal government was quoted by the Xinhua News Agency as saying Tuesday.

Of the 665 schools, 117 are located downtown, local education officials said.

Meanwhile, some 500,000 public vocational school students in the city will be exempt from tuition fees, regardless of where their household is registered. For each student enrolled in private vocational schools, the city will dole out an annual subsidy of 2,000 yuan ($320).

Vocational school students from rural areas have all seen their tuition fees cut this semester, part of a nationwide initiative.

Global Times - Agencies