Beijing, Nov 3 (IANS): China is set to provide free senior high school education to more poor students to further escalate school enrolments, the media reported on Tuesday.

Vice president of the National Institute of Education Sciences Zeng Tianshan pointed out that China's senior high school enrolment rate is still lower than that in developed countries, China.org reported.

"The expansion of senior high school enrolment will not only help enhance the quality of higher education but increase the average years of schooling. Now the average is just 10.1 years. The development of senior high education is of great importance to improving the quality of the population," Zeng said.

By 2020, China will provide free senior high education to all students in the country, with the gross enrolment rate expected to reach 90 percent.

China has adopted a double-track model for senior high education: the normal senior high education and a secondary vocational education.

Experts said enhancing the quality of senior high education in remote rural areas should be a top priority.

According to the communique of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee, China will gradually exempt tuition fees in secondary vocational schools and give priority funding to poor students.

The exemption of tuition fees will benefit nearly 20 million secondary vocational students, nearly half of the population receiving free senior high education.