The Chinese Government has given 4.74 billion yuan ($747.73 million) to secondary vocational schools as compensation for tuition exemptions they have offered to students, the Ministry of Finance said on November 4.

"The funds will be offered to secondary vocational or polytechnic schools that have accepted students from poor families or students studying agriculture-related subjects without charging tuition," said ministry sources.

Approximately 4 million students have received tuition exemptions in China's secondary vocational or polytechnic schools.

Since 2009, students from poor families studying at secondary vocational or polytechnic schools and students studying agriculture-related subjects in such schools have been exempted from paying tuition.