BEIJING - China's Ministry of Finance on Thursday announced an injection of an extra 7.93 billion yuan ($1.24 billion) from the central budget this year to support nine years of compulsory education for all students in the country's rural areas.

This was in addition to the 39.24 billion yuan already earmarked this year, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

The fund will be used for water, electricity and heating expenses in rural boarding schools, purchases of multimedia distance learning facilities as well as expenses generated from the faculty training in rural schools, according to the statement.

According to China's Compulsory Education Law, Chinese children are entitled to nine years of free education, covering primary and junior high schools.