Here is a piece of news from a newspaper two years ago.

English courses will be offered to primary school students in cities and in country schools beginning next year, said the director of the Department of Basic Education of Ministry of Education, Li Lianning.

Primary school students will be required to take the English course beginning in Grade Three. In cities some primary schools may open the course for Grade One students. And in some country primary schools, the program won’t be started until 2002.