Job hunting

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Category: Ningbo News

Published: Tuesday, 14 February 2012 11:50

Despite the chilly weather, hundreds of job hunters went to the job fair put on at the Hongtong Primary School of Jiangbei on the morning of Feb. 12

Private kindergartens to cut tuition fees

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Category: Ningbo News

Published: Tuesday, 14 February 2012 11:37

According to a news briefing held by Ningbo Municipal Education Bureau on Feb 7, in 2012 the municipal government will set regulations on identification and management of non-governmental inclusive kindergartens. The upcoming regulation aims to bring down the tuition fees of inclusive private kindergartens to the same level of the public counterparts. "In this way, the tuition fees of some private kindergartens will be reduced. This will be an important move in the field of education in Ningbo this year." an official from Ningbo Municipal Education Bureau said.

Of the 1197 kindergartens in Ningbo, more than 900 are private kindergartens, with public kindergartens only accounting for 20 percent. It is learned that most private kindergartens, with inadequate facilities and teaching resources, charge more than public ones. In 2012, Ningbo Municipal Education Bureau pledged to give support to certain private kindergartens.

Sources said that the special funds for pre-school education in 2011 rose from 10 million yuan to 30 million yuan. The figure will rise to 50 million in 2012, with 20 million yuan intended to be used in support of private inclusive kindergarten.

Meanwhile, the municipal government vows to improve the quality of rural kindergartens in relatively less developed areas by increasing the input in pre-school education. Legally, there shall be at least one public kindergarten in each township. According to the plan, 100 rural kindergartens in relatively less developed areas shall be renovated and all the rural kindergarten in Ningbo shall be qualified and standardized.

In 2011, 80 kindergartens were renovated and expanded. In 2012, the municipal government will continue to improve the quality of pre-school resources, with another 80 kindergartens to be renovated and expanded according to the plan.

Gasoline and diesel prices raised again

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Category: Ningbo News

Published: Tuesday, 14 February 2012 11:39

On February 8, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country's top economic planner, announced that China would raise the retail prices for gasoline and diesel. Early this morning in Ningbo, retail price for refined oil correspondingly increased. Gasoline labeled 90 #, 93 #, 97 # and 0 # diesel rise to 6.95 yuan, 7.46 yuan, 7.93 yuan, and 7.93 yuan per liter from 6.73 yuan, 7.23yuan, 7.68 yuan and 7.93 yuan per liter respectively, which means the price has returned to the same level four months ago before the NDRC announced a price cut last October.

The retail prices for gasoline and diesel has risen by 300 yuan per tonne from zero on Feb 8. According to the NDRC, since the beginning of this year, international oil prices have been high and volatile. On Jan. 4, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures prices rose to 103.22 U.S. dollars per barrel, an increase of 37 percent from the lowest point in last October.

On February 2, the prices of international crude had jumped beyond a 4-percent range within 22 consecutive working days, in contrast to previous price change last October, reaching the boundary condition of the domestic oil price adjustments. However, the NDRC delayed the adjustment to Feb. 7, right after the much-celebrated Lantern Festival, which fell on Feb. 6.

In response to the oil price hike, the municipal price control department requires the two top oil companies, China National Petroleum Corp and China Petrochemical Corp, to ensure market supply by coordinating oil production and transport. They are also required to strictly carry out the national pricing policy, and report the supply and price information to their local government and price control department in time.

Meanwhile, to maintain market order, the price control department vows to strengthen the supervision and inspection and crack down the speculative behavior like panic buying, hoarding and spreading rumors on prices

Ningbo to turn into a wireless city

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Category: Ningbo News

Published: Tuesday, 14 February 2012 11:36

The Wireless City Project, which offers free wireless service in public places, is not only a move to improve the competitiveness of Ningbo but also an important livelihood projects for the general public. In 2012, the local government of Haishu District, in corporation with three mobile operators, has kicked off "the optical wireless city construction", aiming to achieve full coverage of commercial buildings, commercial blocks, and other major public areas by the end of 2012. Many internet-users expressed a strong interest in the service.

In July 2011, the local government has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Ningbo Branch of China Mobile on Wireless City Project. As the leading operator, Ningbo Branch of China Mobile shall invest 70 million yuan, offering wireless service for 235 hot spots including government offices, public service buildings and other public places. At present, more than 150 hot spots have been on service. "The public wireless network is more than an easy access to internet. With it, people can enjoy convenient intelligent services like traffic guidance, travel management, bus schedule, etc." said Chan Kam Feng, deputy manager of Ningbo Branch of China Mobile.

"There is huge market potential for the wireless businesses in the urban center, with lots of commercial complexes and office-buildings." an official from Ningbo Branch of China Telecom said. He added that they plan to invest 150 million yuan in Haishu in the next two years, optimizing and expanding wireless coverage.

"Local residents or tourists would have free access to wireless network any time at any place in urban center like Tianyi Square, and Heyi Road with their computer or smart mobile phone, as long as their machines supports WiFi Internet access, " an official from Haishu Economic and Information Technology Bureau said. According to the plan, the local government will pay China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom for the wireless services they provide. Wireless urban construction still has a long way to go. More efforts will be made to expand and optimize the network