More than 70 percent of children living apart from their parents in rural areas in Jiangsu province study at boarding schools, thanks to a special fund set up by local governments in the province, Xinhua Daily reported on Thursday.

Because their parents have left to work in other cities, most of the students lived with their grandparents or other relatives previously, in difficult conditions that led to concerns about their education.

In response, the local governments built many boarding schools in the past three years. About 70 percent of such children now live and study at the boarding schools.

Computers are available at the schools for students to talk with their parents via video.