Education minister removed from post

China’s education minister, Zhou Ji, has been removed from his post amid widespread public dissatisfaction with the country’s schools system, state media reported. Top legislative body the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, which made the decision at the weekend, gave no reason for the move but said Zhou, who was due to retire in two years, will "get a new appointment." Yuan Guiren, vice-minister of education and former president of Beijing Normal University, was named as Zhou’s sucessor. China’s education system faces many problems including under-funding of primary and secondary schools as well as poor standards in higher education. Zhou has faced criticism for not coming up with results in tackling these issues. State media also hinted at the possibility of Zhou’s collusion in a bribery case in Wuhan University, the city where he was mayor for two years before being promoted to vice-minister of education in 2002.