With the next round of subsidy increases, each student will receive 4,620 yuan ($642) per year beginning this fall, 90 yuan more than last year.

The subsidies will cover more than 714,000 students, including the children of farmers and herdsmen, as well as those from financially struggling urban families.

Meanwhile, the region will improve the quality of basic education by building and expanding 26 inclusive kindergartens and 30 primary and secondary schools this year.

Over the past decades, subsidies have been gradually increased, and with various support measures put in place, they are expected to significantly improve the learning and living conditions of Xizang students.

Gyaltsan Dorje, who works in the catering department at the No 3 Middle School, emphasized the significance of sanbao.

"This year, the country and the autonomous region have also introduced a number of new people-oriented policies," he said. "The increase in the subsidy standard is an important policy, and our school is also doing our best to improve the accommodation conditions for our students.

Wangdron, an official from the regional department of education, told China Media Group, "We plan to implement a 250-million-yuan project to provide heating for 40 schools in compulsory education, and build and renovate 400,000 square meters of school buildings for heating this year."

Contact the writers at palden_nyima@chinadaily.com.cn