A program to promote environmental education in central and western China, funded by the General Electric Foundation, was launched at the Beijing Normal University recently.

The program will last three to five years. GE Foundation, the philanthropic organization of the General Electric Company, will provide 75,000 US dollars for the program, the university authority said.

The university will conduct a research on the state of environmental education in central and western China and compile books for primary and middle school students. Lectures and publicity activities will also be organized.

According to a research carried out by some students in the university, it is an urgent task to improve the quality of teachers on environmental education in central and western China.

From 2000 to 2004, the GE Foundation had contributed 1.55 million US dollars to public welfare undertakings in China.