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Educating
children for several years
will benefit them for decades, and
will benefit a country for centuries.

Programs


Why support education in rural China
At least 70 percent of China's population are peasants who toil the land using traditional methods that bring them little return. In many rural areas, parents cannot afford to send their children to school, while schools do not have funds to pay teachers salaries. Visitors often see gifted children wasting in dilapidated and crowded classrooms that lack basic teaching facilities and equipment. They see teachers trying to do a good job but have no reference materials or opportunities to upgrade their skills. Improving the quality of education in rural China will require vast amounts of funding and human resources. It demands not only substantial Government investment but also the contribution and participation of many concerned individuals and organizations.
Schools in rural China are responsible for educating:
	85.84% of Chinas primary school students
	83.07% of Chinas junior high school students
	64.68% of Chinas senior high school students
Source: 2003 Ministry of Education of PRC

SERC Programs
Funding Sources
The SERC programs are funded by private donations from individuals, groups, non-profit organizations, private sectors, enterprises, foundations, and social institutions, who may designate their contributions to specific program activities or authorize ESS to allocate the funds according to need. The flexible structure enables sponsors to support rural education in China through a range of activities and funding options. Sponsors receive feedback documentation for each activity they support, and are encouraged to correspond directly with and visit the schools and/or students they have supported.
Function of ESS in SERC
ESS functions as a bridge between the sponsors and the beneficiaries of the SERC programs. It is responsible for program planning, fundraising, coordination, implementation and supervision. It sets the rules and regulations for each SERC program. It pilots all new programs and makes necessary adjustments and amendments before taking them to an expanded scale. Program implementation is facilitated by local representatives in China according to rules and regulations set by ESS. They work with local educational institutions and communities to identify schools and students to be supported by the SERC programs, provide liaison and support through every step of program implementation, and ensure that the targeted funds from ESS are handled and used properly.
Distribution of Donated Funds
ESS has been able to keep an extremely low expense-to-donated funds ratio because it has no paid staff and does not rent any office space. At least 85-90% of donated funds go directly to the beneficiaries as scholarship awards or for the purchase of library books and other equipment or facilities. About 5% of donations for the ARSL projects support activities to improve teaching and learning in rural schools (e.g., essay contests and basic education conferences). Only 10% or less of donations are used for administrative expenses in China and the USA, comprising the costs of postage, printing, telephone and fax communication, and domestic transportation for local representatives in China.
Program Evaluation and Regulation
	ESS selects local coordinators in China and evaluates their performance each year.
	ESS sets program regulations and evaluation criteria for its program applications.
	ESS keeps detailed records, monitors the program progress and provides feedback materials.
	ESS encourages sponsors to visit the schools/students they support.