Uygur mother Zoregul Memet is grateful her child Ayitla Memet is able to attend kindergarten for free and learn to speak Mandarin.

"My daughter rarely spoke Mandarin before she entered kindergarten. But since she started, I've seen her change every day. Now she is able to speak fluent Mandarin, sing many folk songs and tell stories," the mother said.

Thanks to the abolition of kindergarten fees in 2008 in Ruoqiang county, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, children from all ethnic groups can get a head start.