HARBIN, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Authorities invested heavily in rural education in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province in 2019.

Last year, the province spent 740 million yuan (108 million U.S. dollars) to improve education conditions in the countryside. A total of 14 provincial key schools recruited 700 rural and impoverished students, up 17 percent year on year.

Meanwhile, the government granted 1.6 billion yuan in scholarships, education aid and subsidies to benefit 2.76 million people.

Heilongjiang also piloted nutrition meals for 349,000 students in 746 schools of 20 poor counties.