S uzhou is a city traditionally committed to education. By the end of 1994, the city has 9 four-year colleges (7 in the city proper) with 22361 registered students, 26 two-year colleges with 19874 registered students, 15 four-year adults' colleges with 7099 students and 26 two-year colleges for adults with 10969 students.

The city's education distinguishes itself for the following features.

Mingde School in Taichang

1. Its primary and secondary education ranks among the nation's best. The city's nine-year compulsory education target is realized eight years ahead of the timetable set by the central government. With massive funds contributed by the municipality (RMB 800 million from 1988-1992), primary and secondary schools in both the urban and the rural area have had their classrooms modernized, teaching facilities improved and teachers better paid.

The Suzhou Youth Entertainment Center

2. The Suzhou Municipality has identified technical and vocational education as part of its strategic plan to boost its overall education. A great number of technical and vocational schools have trained numerous qualified, skilled work force necessary for the city's economic development.

3. In most of the city's colleges and universities, much emphasis has been put on the alliance between industry and degree programmes. Suzhou Silk Engineering College and the College of City Construction and Environmental Protection in Suzhou are noted for the competitiveness and popularity of their students in the work force market. In Suzhou University, several degree programmes, created with support from Singapore Government, are designed to train talented, qualified graduates demanded by Suzhou Industrial Park, the fruit of cooperation between Suzhou Municipality and Singapore Authorities.

The Suzhou University

4. With on-the-job training as its main task, the City's adult education has contributed greatly to the city's high productivity and far-below-average work stoppage rate. In recent 10 years, over one million employees have entered their names in a great variety of adult education pro grammes. In addition to the on-the-job training ,the spread of foreign language and computer knowledge among the citizens, the adult education also serves as an important channel to wipe out illiteracy of the local people---now the city's illiteracy rate has been reduced to less than 2%.