The school has proved an incredible success. In 2006, 70 percent of its first group of 604 graduates received university places, and the school ranked first of all Ningxia high schools in eight of the nine examination subjects.

Following the example of Liupanshan SHS, Ningxia built Yucai High School, which is also dedicated to educating poor students. Altogether, Ningxia has spent more than 700 million yuan ($102 million) on building and expanding the two schools.

Education is key

Ningxia, especially its southern mountainous areas, is an underdeveloped region. "But if you walk into a poor county or a prefecture, the best quality and the most beautiful architecture is the local schools," said Zhang Bawu, Vice Director of Ningxia DRC.

Zhang said Ningxia firmly believes education is the route out of poverty. In accordance with a local government guideline, "Children are the future." Its meaning, according to Zhang, is that it is difficult to get illiterate or semiliterate adults back into school, but it is easier to provide better education to children, who are the future of the region.

Ningxia is now pouring money into education. Last year, the local government spent over 5.1 billion yuan ($747 million) on education, accounting for 5.6 percent of local GDP. Ningxia DRC said investment in education this year will grow 35 percent over 2007. In order to promote lower-level government enthusiasm in developing education, Ningxia Government has vowed to give more funds to areas whose education budget for 2008 is greater than that of last year.

"The people, either from urban or rural areas, have realized that only knowledge and education can change their fate," said Jin.