Tibet steadily pushes forward the popularization of compulsory education. By the end of 2006, 73 counties had popularized six-year compulsory education, covering 2.5988 million people with the coverage rate reaching 99.4 percent; 49 counties had popularized nine-year compulsory education, covering 1.835 million people with the coverage rate reaching 70.5 percent. The coverage rate of the population becoming literate in 64 counties reached 90.4 percent. The illiteracy rate of young and middle-aged people was reduced from 39 percent in 2000 to below 10 percent in 2006.

From 1985, Tibet provided subsidies for the costs of food, accommodation and the education fees of students from the rural and pastoral families. In 2006, some 246,000 students of middle and elementary schools enjoyed an annual per capita subsidy of 1,100 Yuan. Of the total, the annual subsidy provided for children of the farmers and herders in the border counties and towns in Tibet was 1,200 Yuan for primary school pupils and 1,350 Yuan for students of junior high school. Even children of farmers and herders who failed to gain the subsidies had the chance to gain a stipend of 900 Yuan at most in every academic year. In 2006, Tibet paid out subsidies totaling some 280 million Yuan. In addition, Tibet also provided free teaching materials and workbooks for students during the compulsory education period in the rural and pastoral areas.

From the autumn in 2007, such subsidies will be raised again. Of the total, the annual per capita subsidy provided for primary school pupils from the rural and pastoral families will be increased to 1,200 Yuan from the original 1,100 Yuan and that for students of junior high schools will be raised to 1,350 Yuan from 1,250 Yuan; with regard to students in border counties and towns, it will be 1,300 Yuan for primary school pupils and 1,450 Yuan for junior high school students.