Over 66 percent of children in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region have received preschool education, more than double that six years ago, according to the latest figures from the local education department.

The gross kindergarten enrollment ratio, which refers to the ratio of the number of preschool students regardless of their age, has risen to 66.24 percent in 2016 from only 24.5 percent in 2010.

A total of 96,777 children are studying at 1,028 kindergartens in Tibet.

All children in Tibet's agricultural and pastoral areas and low-income urban families are entitled to free tuition and accommodation fees and a 3,240 yuan ($467) pre-school education subsidy each year, according to Xu Chengcang, head of the regional education department.

The educational authorities are also promoting preschool classes in both Mandarin and Tibetan for Tibetan children.

(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2016)