Twenty eight percent of students in Gansu province are studying in decrepit houses, said Chen Xueheng, former chairman of the Gansu Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, during a discussion in the ongoing session of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

"I was very sorry to see the canteens and dorms for the children when I was carrying out research in rural areas," Chen said, adding that the task of consolidating the nine-year compulsory education is tougher in poor areas.

The food is too simple?- usually just noodles?- to meet the needs of the children. And dorms for children and teachers are too shabby, even so dangerous that they should not be lived in.

"Compulsory education should be fully implemented?- not only by providing nine years of education, but also providing qualified accommodation and, of course, safe school buses," he said.